Dr. Cal Lightman of “Lie to Me” is at the Top of His Game

Fox’s new hit “Lie to Me” is based on the work of research scientist Paul Ekman, who has studied and written books about the concept of “microexpressions” and the ways in which people behave when they don’t tell the truth.

In the show, Dr. Cal Lightman is the “human lie detector” who leads his staff on journeys of discovery in corporate, governmental, military and private sector cases, sniffing out the liars in each and delving psychologically into the minds of those they distrust.

From Researcher to Entrepreneur

After forming the Lightman Group to market his ability to catch people in the act of lying, Lightman has done well for himself. He works in an almost ostentatiously modern office with stark, institutional lighting and the latest in technology.

However, before he formed the Lightman Group, Lightman was a research scientist who traveled the world to study the psychology and sociology of different cultures. This was likely not an inexpensive undertaking; he had to finance his research somehow.

It is possible that Lightman secured government or private loans for his research, but more likely he relied on credit cards for things like living expenses and travel. He would need a low-interest credit card so he wouldn’t have to worry about doubling or tripling his balance from month to month, and he probably needed excellent credit so he could increase his credit limits.

Lightman likely uses credit cards quite often in his business for employee expenses and his own travel to visit clients. He might prefer rewards credit cards that allow him to earn things like free airfare and other travel perks, though he might also use business credit cards for his employees.

Financing the Biz

After concluding his research, Lightman returned to Washington, where he started the Lightman Group. Even if the meager beginnings of the operation were housed in a less generous office building, Lightman would need capital to get his business off the ground.

The Lightman Group uses many different forms of technology to isolate microexpressions, record interviews with witnesses and facilitate communication between staff members. The plasma televisions, video projectors and post-processing equipment alone would cost a bundle, and that doesn’t take into account the rent or purchase of office space in Washington.

Personal Obligations

In addition to a career, Lightman also has an ex-wife and a teenage daughter. Most likely, he pays spousal support to the former and child support for the latter, increasing his monthly expenditures.

The financial issues in Lightman’s life are not necessarily related to his present, but more to his past. How did he finance his research and extensive travel? And how much support did he receive from his father after his mother died?

However, Lightman is most likely raking in the dough as a human lie detector. His precise income is difficult to pinpoint because his is not a common career path, but his business generates sufficient cash to support a full staff, a gorgeous and spacious office, and all the technology required to assist his clients.

Steve Thompson