In 1963, Tino De Angelis controlled the world's soybean oil market. Or so it seemed. His company had tanks in New Jersey filled with millions of dollars' worth of oil-collateral for massive loans from American Express. But when inspectors came to measure the inventory, they didn't know the trick: oil floats on water. "The Floating Asset" details the "Salad Oil Scandal," where De Angelis filled his tanks with sea water and pumped just a few feet of oil on top to fool the dipsticks. It's a classic tale of corporate negligence, showing how a simple physics trick caused a market crash and gave a young Warren Buffett the chance to buy into American Express at rock bottom.

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