Amanda Edwards/Getty Images for Discovery
- California businessman Glenn Stearns, the star of the Discovery Channel's "Undercover Billionaire," built his fortune after founding the mortgage lender Stearns Lending at age 25.
- Stearns Holdings, the parent company that owns Stearns Lending, filed for bankruptcy in July, USA Today reported.
- Stearns once owned a superyacht, a three-story French chateau in Newport Beach, California, and a house in Fiji.
- Stearns and his wife Mindy starred on another reality television show loosely based on "Gilligan's Island" in 2004, according to The Orange County Register.
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California businessman Glenn Stearns may be attempting to build a million-dollar business from scratch in 90 days on the Discovery Channel's "Undercover Billionaire," but he has already experienced enough drama in his real life to fill another reality television show.
Stearns, according to his Discovery Channel profile, had a troubled childhood before going on to found Stearns Lending, the mortgage lending company that has afforded him an opulent lifestyle complete with beachfront mansions and superyachts. After a battle with cancer, Stearns decided to embark on the challenge of growing a million-dollar business from scratch on "Undercover Billionaire."
A Stearns Lending spokesperson declined to comment on Stearns' personal history and involvement with the company when reached by Business Insider.
Keep reading to learn more about the "Undercover Billionaire" star.