Icahn is a big investor in Netflix, owning a nearly 10% stake of the company through investment funds that belong both to him personally and to Icahn Enterprises, his publicly-traded partnership.

FORBES: The Carl Icahn Boom Continues With Netflix

The implication is that, unlike Mrs Arroyo and Mr Aquino (both children of presidents), Mr Villar does not belong to a ruling class that buys financial support with political favours, and that he is wealthy enough to rise above the temptations of corruption.

ECONOMIST: Anyone but Arroyo

Sheila Nemazee is also trying to shield two Italian properties--an apartment in Rome purchased in 2004 for 1.65 million euros and a farmhouse in Puglia purchased in 2006 for 1.75 million euros-- from federal prosecutors, saying they were purchased with funds that were not tied to any fraudulent conduct and belong to her under both New York and Italian law.

FORBES: Page 2 of 2

Republicans, and even some Democrats, have been pointing to both of these items as prime examples of "excess spending" that doesn't belong in the stimulus bill.

CNN: GOP senators draft stimulus alternative