Bernard Madoff And His Accomplices

This is the first detailed study of how Bernard L. Madoff and his accomplices perpetrated a Ponzi scheme of epic proportions—what has been referred to as the "con of the century." In December 2008, Bernard L. Madoff was arrested for perpetrating a protracted Ponzi scheme of inconceivably huge proportions that defrauded clients of his securities company of nearly $20 billion—and was consequently sentenced to 150 years in jail. How did Madoff pull this off for years, even returning some or all of clients' money when they asked, while in actuality was financing the lavish lifestyles of himself, his family, and his accomplices with the stolen funds? And why didn't anyone in the highly regulated investment industry catch on sooner? Bernard Madoff and His Accomplices: Anatomy of a Con examines Bernard L. Madoff's unprecedented confidence game (con game), drawing back the curtain on what actually went on at his investment firm, Bernard L. Madoff Investment Securities, and exposing the day-to-day activities of his accomplices that enabled the elaborate con to succeed for as long as it did. Through the examination of court testimony and other court documents, the mechanics of the con game become clear, elucidating how Madoff's friends and employees hustled money from investors; the methods by which false records, monthly statements to investors, and other documents were manufactured and mass-produced; and how a multitude of felonies and the highest levels of fraud became everyday practices.

This is the first detailed study of how Bernard L. Madoff and his accomplices perpetrated a Ponzi scheme of epic proportions—what has been referred to as the "con of the century." In December 2008, Bernard L. Madoff was arrested for perpetrating a protracted Ponzi scheme of inconceivably huge proportions that defrauded clients of his securities company of nearly $20 billion—and was consequently sentenced to 150 years in jail. How did Madoff pull this off for years, even returning some or all of clients' money when they asked, while in actuality was financing the lavish lifestyles of himself, his family, and his accomplices with the stolen funds? And why didn't anyone in the highly regulated investment industry catch on sooner? Bernard Madoff and His Accomplices: Anatomy of a Con examines Bernard L. Madoff's unprecedented confidence game (con game), drawing back the curtain on what actually went on at his investment firm, Bernard L. Madoff Investment Securities, and exposing the day-to-day activities of his accomplices that enabled the elaborate con to succeed for as long as it did. Through the examination of court testimony and other court documents, the mechanics of the con game become clear, elucidating how Madoff's friends and employees hustled money from investors; the methods by which false records, monthly statements to investors, and other documents were manufactured and mass-produced; and how a multitude of felonies and the highest levels of fraud became everyday practices.

Bernard Madoff's financial fraud was global, an enormous amount of money was involved, and thousands of people and hundreds of institutions were swindled. Madoff's con game was a Ponzi scheme—an investment that pays returns to early investors from money acquired from subsequent investors.This case study of the Madoff scheme looks at the effects of his crimes on the victims. Elements from a theoretical framework put forward by Erving Goffman provide a perspective for understanding the development and the aftermath of Madoff's con. For example, as Goffman would have put it, Madoff's marks were not cooled out. Many did not accept the fact that they were victims of a con game and publicly clamored for sympathy, restitution, and for public officials to share their perspective.Inside men, ropers, outside men, and victims are at the core of con games. Lionel S. Lewis emphasizes that it is important to understand a con game's characteristics so as to grasp how it operates. The Madoff fraud includes elements of a variety of con games. For a comprehensive study of this economic crime, the case study must be seen as part of the broader social system. Considerably more is known about the dynamics of con games than about Ponzi schemes, and this fact frames this book's approach. To better understand what Madoff did, who was central in keeping his scheme alive, whom he defrauded, and how they reacted, this work is as invaluable as it is illuminating.

Catastrophe: The Story of Bernard L. Madoff, The Man Who Swindled the World by Deborah and Gerald Strober was the first biography of the notorious financier to hit stores. Ripped from the headlines, Catastrophe presents Bernie Madoff’s real story, including his confession, unlikely rise, and incredible crash, as well as the stories of the countless organizations and individuals he bilked out of more than $50 billion.

After the news broke of Bernie Madoff's arrest on December 11, 2008, the facts were hard to grasp. Madoff claimed to have stolen fifty billion dollars; the sum seemed impossibly large. But of course it wasn't impossible. And that was only the beginning of the story. As chief investigative correspondent for ABC News, Brian Ross has been on the front lines of the Madoff scandal since the beginning. Throughout the course of his investigation, he and his team have achieved unequaled access to the investigators working to unravel Madoff's fraud, and have succeeded in cultivating sources deep within the walls of Bernard L. Madoff Investment Securities that no other journalist has reached.The result is an unparalleled, fly-on-the-wall view of a life of corrupted luxury and outrageous lies.

The untold story of the Madoff scandal, by one of the first journalists to question his investment practices Despite all the headlines about Bernard Madoff, he is still shrouded in mystery. How did he fool so many smart investors for so long? Who among his family and employees knew the truth? The person best qualified to answer these questions is Erin Arvedlund. In early 2001, she was suspicious of the amazing returns of Madoff's hedge fund. Her subsequent article in Barron's could have prevented a lot of misery, had the SEC followed up. Arvedlund presents a sweeping narrative of Madoff's career-from his youth in Queens, New York, to his early days working for his father­in- law, and finally to infamy as the world's most notorious swindler. Readers will be fascinated by Arvedlund's portrayal of Madoff, his empire, and all those who never considered that he might be too good to be true.

ABOUT THE BOOK In the fall of 2008, at the zenith of the American financial crisis, multiple Wall Street firms posted losses reaching into the hundreds of millions. These losses represented the beginning of an unprecedented disaster. In December of 2008, CNN estimated that Bernard L. Madoff Investment Securities LLC was responsible for $50 billion. Widely touted as the biggest Ponzi scheme in history, Bernard “Bernie” Madoff lured wealthy investors with promises of high returns only to siphon away funds to finance his own lavish lifestyle. He would then replenish his coffers by recruiting more unsuspecting clients. After decades of deception, the question remains: How did Madoff get away with it for so long? MEET THE AUTHOR Andrew Ulloa is an attorney who lives and practices in San Jose, California. EXCERPT FROM THE BOOK Madoff’s obsession with access extended beyond recruiting clients. The Wall Street Journal documented Madoff’s entrée into the world of regulatory agencies. Madoff kept close ties with the leading securities industry organization, Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association (“SIFMA”), where his brother Peter served on the board of directors. Additionally, Madoff held close relationships with employees of the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”). His nephew was a SEC lawyer and Madoff considered past SEC Chairpersons and Commissioners to be friends. It seemed that he had friends everywhere. What is fascinating about Madoff is the ability he had to manipulate so many smart, wealthy, connected people. Even days before Madoff’s arrest, there were those still clamoring to invest with him. Madoff had crafted a sustainable self-perpetuating scheme. Yet, the one factor Madoff could not anticipate was the subprime mortgage crisis and the resulting housing market crash. The economy was shaken, and investors wanted to be as liquid as possible. In the fall of 2008, they began requesting cash withdrawals from Madoff. This was the end of the line. There was no way Madoff could redeem over $7 billion in requests. According to Bloomberg News, Madoff only had $200 million left to disperse. With his options limited, he confessed to his family and surrendered to authorities on December 11, 2008. Buy a copy to continue reading!

In December 2008, amidst a world gripped by financial crisis, Bernard Madoff, a respected fund manager, and former chairman of Nasdaq, was arrested by the Fbi for reportedly bilking thousands of trusting investors out of $50 billion. In the first comprehensive account of this financial mastermind's epic Ponzi scheme, Catastrophe exposes the real story behind Madoff's upstanding facade-his confession, his family's involvement, and his unlikely rise and incredible crash. The book defines and explains the whole diabolical debacle, including how he seduced and persuaded sophisticated investors, how he evaded Sec watchdogs, and how his far-reaching crime pervaded the world. With first-hand victim accounts lending a human-interest viewpoint, the book peels back Madoff's persona layer by layer, revealing how he developed his elaborate deceit and how and why he targeted and scammed the world of Jewish philanthropy. Complete with the famous whistle-blower letter to the Sec, the now unavailable-to-the-public Madoff company mission statement, Sec filings, and a list of victims-from household names to housewives-Catastrophe offers a complete look at the white-collar crime of the century that will leave readers both astounded and in disbelief. Book jacket.