Crime doesn't pay, it is often said. But a short spell in jail certainly does not appear to have done Martha Stewart much harm. Indeed, it might just have saved her career.
The 'domestic diva', who built a huge business empire on the back of her trend-setting lifestyle tips, has just been released from a five-month prison term in the United States. Jailed for lying to investigators about a suspicious stock- market deal, she was one of the most prominent figures arrested during a crackdown on corporate crime.
But Stewart, who had seen her popularity plunge, appears to have triumphed over adversity. She has turned the criminal conviction to her advantage - and used it as a basis for transforming her battered image.
The homemaker queen chose to go to prison. She could have remained free until her appeal was heard - a hearing is due later this month. Instead, she opted to swap her luxury lifestyle, complete with a collection of horse-drawn carriages, for the rather less comfortable accommodation on offer at the Alderson Federal Prison Camp.