Madoff HQ Was 'Coke-Fueled Animal House'

Trustee says bank enabled fraud by ignoring warning signs

(NEWSER) - Bernie Madoff's Ponzi scheme survived for so long because HSBC ignored "red flags" and kept funneling investors' money to the fraudster, says the trustee trying to reclaim money for Madoff's victims. Irving Picard is suing the bank and a group of feeder funds for at least $9 billion, the New York Times reports. More»

Peter Madoff subject of 'wide-ranging' Ponzi scheme inquiry

(NEWSER) - Finance's most-tarnished family name took another hit yesterday when it emerged that Peter Madoff is the target of a criminal probe relating to big brother Bernie's Ponzi scheme. A court filing states that the Manhattan US attorney's office is conducting an "active and wide ranging" probe of Peter, who was chief compliance officer at Bernie's firm, the New York Post reports. More»

Jeffry Picower faced Ponzi scheme lawsuit

(NEWSER) - Philanthropist Jeffry Picower, who allegedly reaped billions of dollars from longtime friend Bernard Madoff's Ponzi schemes, was found dead today at the bottom of his Florida swimming pool. Efforts to revive him failed, and his death was ruled a drowning, police said. Picower, 67, wife Barbara, and their foundation were among the defendants in a lawsuit brought by the trustee liquidating Madoff's assets, the Palm Beach Post reports. More»

(NEWSER) - Investigators see yesterday's guilty plea of Bernard Madoff's right-hand man as a major breakthrough in their efforts to untangle the elaborate Ponzi scheme, BusinessWeek reports. Frank DiPascali, chief financial officer at Madoff's firm, has promised to cooperate with prosecutors and is expected to name other people involved in the scam and to help trace assets Madoff may have stashed around the world. More»

Funds address fraction of 9,000 claims: trustee

(NEWSER) - It's a start. Some of Bernie Madoff's clients will get back at least a portion of the money that he stole. Trustee Irving Picard says he expects to approve at least $100 million of investor claims—mere hundreds out of nearly 9,000 filed claims—by May 25, Bloomberg reports. Picard has recovered $1 billion and sued for another $10 billion from funds that withdrew money from Madoff accounts before his arrest. More»