I was delighted to read in the Sydney Morning Herald today http://business.smh.com.au/bonds-remarkable-comeback-20080528-2iyt.html that Alan Bond has returned to Australia's Rich List.

Bond is a splendid chap, a visionary Capitalist who was a victim of the 'Tall Poppy Syndrome' back in the 1990s.

To refresh a couple of memories...

In 1988 Bond gained control of a company called Bell Resources, a shell company with cash and a sharemarket quotation as its only assets. According to whom you believe, Bond either intended Bell to be a vehicle for owning his Brewing interests and Bell paid a $1Billion (or thereabouts) 'deposit' in anticipation of settling the remaining couple of billion dollar purchase price in due course; or he 'stole' $1 Billion from Bell shareholders in broad daylight, delusionally of the view he could get away with it, and all the while regularly providing updates to shareholders, the media and the Stock Exchange of what he was doing..(you can draw your own conclusions as to what was the 'true' scenario).

He pleaded guilty to absurd charges and served time in gaol, but has bounced back.

He is now rich again and I say well done!