Kyle Lagow of Plano, Texas, had to keep secret even from his wife and five children that he was one of the whistleblowers who led to this year's $25 billion mortgage settlement with banks over inappropriate lending schemes. His lawsuit led to a $1 billion settlement with Countrywide Financial's parent, Bank of America, in February with the U.S. attorney's office. Lagow's suit was finally unsealed under the U.S. False Claims Act in May, when he was awarded $14.5 million, a percentage of the settlement.