Konstantin Anikeev, an experimental physicist, collected everything he needed for research far beyond his field.
His materials included American Express cards, the government’s view that credit card rewards are not income, and his own willingness to spend time buying gift cards and money orders. He took the concept of personal finance websites: take advantage of the difference between unlimited 5% rewards and lower fees on gift cards and money orders.
“If you have a theory, you can test it experimentally. Some are easier to test, ”said Mr Anikeev. “Others need a Large Hadron Collider or something similar. But this one was a bit more accessible. “
It worked (most of the time).
Mr. Anikeev in 2013 and 2014 – including $ 6.4 million in credit card charges – led to an Internal Revenue Service audit and the finding that he and his wife had more than $ 310,000 in income that should have been taxed.