Guns, Drugs, and Hollywood Lies: David Packouz’s Untold "War Dogs" Confessions
This week we sit down with David Packouz—former arms dealer, the real story behind War Dogs. He breaks down how he landed huge U.S. defense contracts in his twenties, what the movie nailed, what it didn’t, and the parts Hollywood skipped.
It’s blunt talk about ambition, shortcuts, and fallout. Specifics, not fluff. After this, you won’t see the film—or that industry—the same way.
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CHAPTERS
00:00:00 - Introduction to the Episode
00:00:27 - Team Dog Nutrition Discussion
00:01:34 - Introducing David Packouz
00:04:33 - Debating AI Sentience and Consciousness
00:08:29 - Time Travel: Where Would David Packouz Go?
00:11:54 - David Packouz’s Childhood in an Orthodox Jewish Family
00:18:41 - Challenges of Orthodox Jewish Rituals
00:23:34 - Remembering David Packouz’s Father
00:28:00 - Entrepreneurial Mindset and Diverse Business Ventures
00:31:30 - Heartland Steak Company Ad
00:32:44 - War Dogs Accuracy: Hollywood vs. Reality
00:36:42 - David Packouz’s Cameo in War Dogs
00:42:57 - Filming Challenges and Set Design Details
00:45:29 - Exaggerations in War Dogs Story Arc
00:52:35 - Political Scandals and Small Business Contracts
00:53:45 - Drug Use and Efraim’s Intense Personality
00:59:25 - Casting Choices for War Dogs Characters
01:02:00 - War Dogs Montage vs. Reality
01:07:18 - War Dogs Academy: Teaching Government Contracting Success
01:12:11 - From War Dogs to Millions: Inspiring a New Generation
01:16:40 - First Contract Win: $8,000 Profit on Propane Delivery
01:23:06 - Pivoting to Arms: David’s Shift from Fuel to Munitions
01:28:16 - Shady Past Performance: Efraim’s Risky Move with a Fake Deal
01:34:06 - Hollywood Simplification
01:41:28 - Efraim’s High Risk Tolerance: The Nepal King Contract
01:46:02 - Albanian Ammo Issues
01:50:14 - Chinese Ammo Discovery
02:00:14 - Repackaging Ammo with an Albanian Cardboard Factory
02:06:10 - Partnership Tensions
02:12:05 - Movie Gifts: Buying Efraim a Lord of War Poster
02:16:13 - Money Trap: David’s Earnings Tied Up in Future Contracts
02:19:21 - New Beginnings: Starting a New Contracting Company
02:23:55 - Email Trail: Clear Evidence of Fraudulent Intent
02:25:34 - FBI Interview: Telling the Truth About the Scheme
02:29:54 - Media Labels Efraim and David
02:34:47 - Army Support: Pushing for Permit Approvals
02:40:16 - Lawyer’s Advice: Be a Model Citizen Before Sentencing
02:43:25 - Movie Accuracy: Towel Incident Was Real
02:50:48 - David’s Sentence: Seven Months of House Arrest
02:52:36 - Drum Machine Idea: Inspiration for Beat Buddy
02:53:49 - InstaFloss: Inventing a Dental Device
02:54:25 - Closing
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