October 10, 2007 -- Ron Burkle's recent investment in embattled Chinese company Xinhua Finance Media was done at a sharply discounted price, netting the billionaire private-equity investor an instant $50 million paper profit. According to a filing yesterday from with the Securities and Exchange Commission, Burkle's Yucaipa Cos. paid $3 per share, or $25.7 million, for slightly more than 8.57 million shares.