Madoff Crony Harangued at Tony Fla. Club

Thieves rip-off investment fraudster

(NEWSER) - In a bit of poetic justice, a thief stole an expensive statue from the Palm Beach estate of Bernard Madoff last week, the New York Post reports. Burglars took a $10,000 copper statue depicting two lifeguards from the fraudster accused of losing $50 billion of investors’ money in a giant Ponzi scheme. The Post also notes Madoff's Montauk Point estate has been hit by severe beach erosion not affecting neighbors. More»

Bankruptcy trustee says fraudster's wife received more than she'll admit to

(NEWSER) - The trustee in the Bernie Madoff case sued the swindler's wife today to demand the return of $44 million to bilked investors, Newsday reports. The complaint doesn't allege criminal activity by Ruth Madoff but says she directly received funds from her husband’s multi-billion-dollar Ponzi scheme. Ruth Madoff gave up all but $2.5 million of her assets in a forfeiture deal last month, but she's not protected from lawsuits. More»

(NEWSER) - A high-flying New York lawyer who orchestrated a Ponzi scheme to fund his lavish lifestyle has been sentenced to 20 years in jail, the New York Times reports. Marc Dreier pleaded guilty to charges including conspiracy and securities fraud relating to the scam, which bilked hedge funds and other investors of some $400 million. Prosecutors had asked for a sentence of 145 years, just 5 years short of the 150 years Bernard Madoff was slapped with. More»

(NEWSER) - Operators of so-called feeder funds withdrew $12 billion from Bernie Madoff's accounts in the year before his arrest, nearly half of it in the final three months, reports the New York Times. The analysis of financial records offers hope that defrauded investors will be able to recoup at least some of their money. The trustee handling the Madoff bankruptcy filed two lawsuits today to regain $6 billion from two funds that worked closely with the financier. More»

Fraud schemes prove boon to private eyes

(NEWSER) - Investors are increasingly hiring private investigators to dig up dirt on fund managers in hopes of avoiding the next Madoff-style fraud, Bloomberg reports. Background checks are expensive—depending on the firm, they may cost $1,000 per company or individual investigated—and can take weeks, but investors say they are often highly effective at identifying questionable funds. More»