On that chapter on genius businessmen in America—you completely overlooked Angelo Mozilo– this guy has a genius for being always ahead of the curve .

At the height of the mortgage writing business his company, Countrywide , was originating 20% of all home loans in America. And by the time it had all blown up Angelo had already cashed out personally for $600 million dollars in salary and options.

He even sold Countrywide to Bank of America at the very moment the housing market collapsed. Now that is anticipation!

A couple of years later the SEC decides to try and flex their muscles and go after him for fraud. To go after a business man like him who simply trying to get people into homes and make a little money in doing it just seems wrong to me…

But Angelo settles in a civil suit and the fine is $22.5 million…now to really appreciate his true genius, when Angeleo sold to Bank of America, he put it in the contract that if any fraud charges cropped up the bank was on the hook for most of it. So Bank of America paid $20 million and Angelo only paid $2.5 million, with no criminal wrongdoing, and now he is sitting on an island enjoying his $600 million

Now that is a guy who’s earned at least a chapter in my book.