Neil White

Neil was in his 30s when he was caught “kiting checks,” which is the process of writing checks on two or more different banks, using the checks from each account to offset the other. He spent time and money honing his personal and professional appearance and ensuring that he was seen as a successful businessman, regardless of the cost. When he was caught kiting checks in Oxford, Mississippi, he moved his business to the coast where he launched a series of magazines in Gulfport. Again, Neil was so focused on his personal and professional appearance that he began spending more than the businesses were making, and he ended up kiting more checks to cover the daily shortfall. When he was caught that time, he was sentenced to 18 months in a federal prison.

Neil is, by his own admission, vain and selfish, and there seems to be no...