David Mordechai Packouz is born in St. Louis, Missouri, into a Jewish family. His upbringing was relatively normal, and there is little publicly available information about his early childhood beyond the fact that he later attended college before dropping out to pursue other ventures.

Prior to his involvement in arms dealing, Packouz pursued careers as a massage therapist and musician. He played the guitar and sang, focusing on folk and acoustic music. These early pursuits highlight his diverse interests before entering the high-stakes world of international business.

Packouz partners with Efraim Diveroli to found AEY Inc., a company focused on securing arms contracts from the U.S. government, particularly for supplying weapons and ammunition to the Afghan National Army during the War in Afghanistan. This marks a pivotal moment, shifting Packouz's career trajectory dramatically.

AEY Inc. wins a nearly $300 million contract to supply ammunition to Afghanistan. This contract becomes infamous due to the discovery that the ammunition was decades old, of Chinese origin (violating U.S. sanctions), and repackaged to conceal its origin. This deal would ultimately lead to legal trouble for both Packouz and Diveroli.

David Packouz pleads guilty to one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States in connection to the Albanian ammunition deal. He is sentenced to seven months of house arrest. This marks a significant legal consequence for his role in the fraudulent activities of AEY Inc.

The movie 'War Dogs', starring Jonah Hill as Efraim Diveroli and Miles Teller as David Packouz, is released. The film is a dramatized account of their experiences running AEY Inc. The movie brings significant public attention to Packouz's story, though he has expressed mixed feelings about its accuracy.

Following the release of 'War Dogs', Packouz attempts to re-establish his life and career. He invents a guitar pedal called the 'BeatBuddy' and starts the company Byron Ventures to market his invention and pursue other entrepreneurial activities. He also continues to pursue his passion for music, producing and releasing music online. This period signifies his attempts to move past his past mistakes and find success through legitimate means.

Packouz continues to be involved in entrepreneurial ventures and music production. He has remained relatively low-profile, focusing on building a more positive and sustainable future. He still resides in the Miami area.