The Parmalat affair confirms the old saying there are two ways to be wealthy - owning lots of money or, alternatively, lots of debt. In terms of the latter, Enrico Bondi can consider himself a very rich man. The Italian company's government appointed administrator seems to have made good use of his overdraft.

While Shell is paying $120m to the US Securities and Exchange Commission to settle investigations into its reserves scandal, Parmalat is getting away without paying a dime for one of the biggest frauds in corporate history.