David Funes new book, ‘Manic in Miami – Bipolar Guy Living Life‘ tells his story 

—A Florida man says a manic episode drove him to join a healthcare fraud scheme, costing him years of legal battles and personal turmoil before he found stability and a new purpose.

David Funes was first diagnosed with bipolar disorder at 27 years old after a major depressive episode that included several days in a mental hospital.

Later, he experienced manic episodes, including one in which he committed a white-collar crime.

“I describe my mania as the rational part of my brain getting turned off and replaced with recklessness, impulsivity, and bad decision-making. This included partying every night at bars and clubs, womanizing, and developing a drug addiction.”

“I met some new party friends who were making way more money than I was,” Funes says.

“They explained their healthcare fraud scheme to me, which involved paying illegal kickbacks to patients and doctors for prescriptions for compounded creams used to treat scars, pain, and migraines. Blinded by my mania, I joined the fraud. It was the easiest money I ever made.”

“Blinded by my mania, I joined the fraud. It was the easiest money I ever made.”

Then came the consequences: In 2015, his offices were raided by the FBI and he was facing seven years in prison.

“I should have listened to my lawyer and slowed down, but after a brief depressive episode, another ensued,” he says. He moved to Austin and became part-owner in a night club.

“I was partying harder than ever. I even moved my drug dealer into my spare bedroom to get a discount.”

During the manic episode he spent hundreds of thousands of dollars, ran his business into the ground, and was evicted from his condo.

It took finding the right psychiatrist and medications, after years of trial and error, to stabilize his condition. 

He found a new job in finance and then lost it after his employer found out about his 2019 conviction. Having a felony on his record was “extremely difficult.” He was turned down for dozens of jobs, and was finally hired as a delivery driver.

Last year he was sentenced in the fraud case. “The judge was merciful and took my mental illness into account — after five years of probation, I was sentenced to time served. It’s still surreal to have my life back after a lost decade,” he says.

In December, he shared his story with Business Insider to highlight the destructive power of bipolar episodes and encourage others facing similar struggles. 

Funes is now a mental health coach and candidly shares his experiences on social media. This year he published a book: Manic in Miami – Bipolar Guy Living Life.