Filing for "Bankruptcy Protection" and filing for "Bankruptcy" are not the same...
Gox filed for "Bankruptcy Protection", so that his assets will not be lost. This will allow him to operate, with frozen assets, once an actual investigation has occurred, to prove "theft claims". You can't just say "I am bankrupt", you have to actually prove it. I can tell you right now, that the numbers proposed are inaccurate, and not the way "asset value" is actually reported.
Those who deposited 10,000 BTC when the price was $10/BTC, have an asset-value of only $100,000 USD, not the value of $600/BTC at the current price it was lost. (Because they did not "realize" {cash-out} for that value.) That is one thing that is "off" in the estimates. They may also have to UNDO the last few trades, because the BTC was not there to trade, for the money that it was offered for. That will break a few hearts, and heal some others. If the BTC wasn't there, and you gave $12,000 buying it, YOU do not own those BTC, and that person does not own that currency. They lost the BTC, and you get back your currency.
In any event, this is still going to be a messy resolution. One which will not happen over-night, but one which will have a semi-agreeable resolution, because he didn't just run away. He stayed to protect us, and his investors.
There is also the issue of "what funds were stolen", "when they were stolen", and "when they stopped being stolen". In addition to the fact that some of those "may be recoverable/accountable", because they know WHO they went to, by accounts and by IP's, on some respect. However, this filing HAD to be done, to "freeze the assets", to make for a proper legal investigation, and to protect US and the INVESTORS. While still allowing him to operate, if it can be proven that the "issue has been resolved". Also if it can be proven that the income from trades, could potentially "cover losses", once the "losses are factually realized", which can only happen after an official investigation.
For all anyone knows, the coins could just be in another wallet, still in his possession. Which is what a full legal investigation and he, will have to prove otherwise.
That also allows him to "sell the assets", which would cover most losses, as part of the sale, thus, reducing the price he could sell the exchange for. (If it were to be consolidated, that would be to simply accept all loss, which would STILL have to be covered.)
We have to wait for the "call center" to open, to confirm our losses. Thieves will obviously not be calling. Thus, those will not be counted as part of the loss. That is good for us, because it gives us a better chance at getting back all of our funds.
Not to mention, there were funds available, after the theft had stopped. Those funds, after that date, will be 100% returned. Which an investigation still needs to show. We were not investors. We were customers. Investors are the ones who are at the greatest risk of loss here. Customers, will all have to be paid back, in some way. Even if this was truly just a "Bankruptcy", it does not absolve him from paying back losses. It simply acknowledges the loss, for further legal proceedings to occur.