Where Are They Now: Key Players In The Madoff Case
Jack Queen, 14 April 2021
Law360 (April 14, 2021, 9:05 PM EDT) — Ponzi king Bernie Madoff’s jailhouse death was all but guaranteed the moment he was sentenced. Before a packed federal courtroom in Manhattan — after the lawyers, victims and Madoff himself had spoken — Judge Denny Chin decided what punishment fit the financial crime of the century: 150 years, the maximum sentence available.
The decision prompted an outburst of cheers from the dozens of victims present. But it was the only joyful moment of a proceeding marked by anguished testimonials from victims, calls for justice from prosecutors, and pleas for mercy by Madoff’s defense team, which had asked for 12 years.
In handing down the sentence, Judge Chin invoked the far-reaching consequences of the disgraced Wall Street titan’s $65 billion fraud.
“The victims put their trust in Mr. Madoff,” he said from the bench. “That trust was broken in a way that has left many — victims as well as others — doubting our financial institutions, our financial system, our government’s ability to regulate and protect, and sadly, even themselves.”
