Hank Greenberg, ex Chairman of AIG, has escaped criminal charges at least for now. A spokesman for Eliott Spitzer, NY Attorney General, announced that while civil charges may be pending, no criminal charges will be filed by the state.

However, Mr, Greenberg is not yet out of the woods. According to Insurance Journal, there are two federal investigations still in process, with the potential for federal charge. And, Spitzer is likely to add charges to his civil complaint in the near future.

Spitzer's and other state attorneys' probes of the insurance industry has already resulted in criminal charges filed against over a dozen individuals, hundreds of millions in fines and settlements, and a dramatic reshaping of several venerable firms including Marsh and AIG.

What does this mean for you?

Even though we didn't need any more proof, more evidence that crime, or the appearance of crime, does not pay.