October 1993, Rome.  

   Italy is facing a political crisis. Heads are rolling. Including yours. By now, you have received a total of four major charges on corruption. Don’t worry. There’ll be more to come. Anyway, it seems that the big names around you are falling left, right, and center. Diego Curto, the deputy head of the Milanese courts, was arrested last month for accepting a 400m lire bribe.

Enrico Braggiotti

   The Democratic Party of the Left’s treasurer, Marcello Stefanini, is going to have his immunity lifted so that he could be charged in court for corrupt practices. General Francesco Delfino of the police is under investigation by Milanese magistrates (them again!) for his links with the Mafia. Enrico Braggiotti, the former chairman of Italy’s fourth-largest bank, Banca Commerciale Italiana was arrested last month for corruption. Whew! And these big names are only a few of the many, many other names that are falling.

   So now you’re thinking: Would it be a better idea to run away now? After all, your situation seems hopeless and things look bleak. Would you rather now choose to end up in prison or find a better way out of this mess?