Please don’t think I’m sympathetic towards Madoff, but didn’t any of his investors take a look at the statements they were getting and think, "Gee, it’s almost too good to be true?" I keep thinking about that adage that if something looks too good to be true, it probably is. Why did it take this long for it to come to light? 

We don’t know the sentence yet.  He is in jail now awating the sentencing hearing. He could get up to 150 years, so it is most likely he will die in jail. Of course he deserves this, but he must also be forced to pay back with every cent he and his wife have, as well as anyone else they find was involved. 

I had heard that his sons and family were actually listed on the victim’s list…but I’m not holding any telethons for the Madoff family. I also heard that Ruthless Ruthie may be allowed to keep the penthouse AND the house in Palm Beach…REALLY?? Can ANYONE imagine a Madoff showing their face in Palm Beach after this?? I’m amazed the house there is still standing!!

Time is not enough.  He must make restitution, even if it means leaving his wife and family penniless.

Andrea, in the 1990’s, a return of 8 to 10% was "conservative" and hedge funds were routinely making 25%.  Moreover, if one had smelled a rat in the last six years and pulled one’s money out, it is likely that such money will be clawed back by the Trustee.  This is a weird aspect of the law - pulling money out without smelling a rat leaves one much less vulnerable, by law and precedent, to claw back.

As for Ruth keeping her money and penthouse, not a chance.  The Government now has a right to every penny that was made via the scam.  It’s the same as money made by organized crime.  However, everything will take time.  And if I, as a victim, can be patient and accept that the cases will take time, so should all the other WOWsers.

Here’s where I have to check myself. My inclination is to make him suffer through something that only medieval Europeans might have thought of — like making him walk around in rags and really heavy chains, "serving" the people who will suffer most from his greed (not like Elie Weisel, but instead the would-have-been beneficiaries of the Elie Weisel charities). Or maybe in the same vein he should be shown what Greed really is and be forced to spend the rest of his days bricked up in his Manhattan apartment with all his bank books and checks, all his gold and silver and art and rich fabrics etc and no other nourishment of any kind (eat that). But like I said I have to check myself. My only wish is that he spends every single day and night of his sentence alive and well in prison. Who knows. Maybe he could come up with a scheme for repentance.