Charles Wyly was born Oct 13, 1933, in Lake Providence, La., and for a period lived with his family in a shack without electricity or plumbing. Charles Duhigg bearcharleelectricity Change image and share on social
Because reverse mortgages do not require borrowers to make immediate repayments, the interest charges are added to the debt every day, and the total amount owed grows over time. Charles Duhigg addamountborrower Change image and share on social
Credit default swap is basically just an agreement that I have with you, where I sell you insurance on some bond you own. If the bond goes belly up, I promise to pay you. And as long as the bond doesn't go belly up, you pay me for selling you insurance. Charles Duhigg agreementbasicallybelly share on social
Medicare's top officials said in 2006 that they had reduced the number of fraudulent and improper claims paid by the agency, keeping billions of dollars out of the hands of people trying to game the system. Charles Duhigg agencybillionclaim share on social
Entrepreneurs do not try and create new types of smartphone technologies now because they know it's pointless: They're going to get sued almost immediately. Charles Duhigg createentrepreneurimmediately Change image and share on social
Fraudulent and improper payments have long bedeviled Medicare, a $466 billion program. In particular, payments for durable medical equipment, like power wheelchairs and diabetic test kits, are ripe for fraud. Charles Duhigg bedevilebilliondiabetic share on social
Between 1857 and 1929, while regulators largely stood idle, the American economy swung through 19 national boom-and-bust gyrations that sometimes threatened to wipe out whole industries within months. Charles Duhigg americanboombust Change image and share on social
Equipment sellers can pocket more than $2,500 every time they send a powered wheelchair to a patient and bill Medicare. Charles Duhigg billequipmentmedicare Change image and share on social
Foxconn is hugely important, not only in China - it's the largest employer in China - Foxconn is important around the world. Charles Duhigg chinaemployerfoxconn Change image and share on social
Some officials overseeing local water systems have tried to go above and beyond what is legally required. But they have encountered resistance, sometimes from the very residents they are trying to protect, who say that if their water is legal, it must be safe. Charles Duhigg encounterlegallegally share on social
