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Politics | 05/13/2009 7:00 am

Billions Withdrawn From Madoff Accounts Ahead of Arrest

Six billion dollars was withdrawn from Madoff’s account three months before his arrest.
By The Staff at wowOwow.com
© Getty Images/AFP

Bernard Madoff may be in jail, but the drama around his alleged Ponzi scheme continues. Accountants and other officials familiar with his business say that about $12 billion was withdrawn from his fund in the months prior to his arrest last year.

A single transaction came to about $6 billion. As the news spread, Irving H. Picard, the trustee overseeing the Madoff bankruptcy and trying to track down the lost money, filed two suits yesterday seeking $6.1 billion, The New York Times reports.

One of the suits alleges that Jeffry M. Picower, an investor who ran an eponymous foundation, should have foreseen disaster after his investments yielded astronomical returns, like 950%. Picower’s lawyer denies any wrongdoing. One thing’s for sure: the fallout over this scandal will only continue to grow.

8 Reader Comments (so far…) Sign In or Register to comment

laureen f
This is not news…he’s been doing this since he was first found out…
By laureen f on 05/13/2009 7:30 am
Sherry Hubbell

Greed, greed, greed, and wealth to a level 99% of Americans will never know.  Funny how the more you have, the more you want, and the more you will do to get even more.

I hope the feds take every dime, every house, every garbage can he and his wife have acquired over the years.  Of course, I’m sure Madoff and his accomplices have hidden most of the money very well, but at least we know Madoff himself won’t be living the high life anymore.  The authorities need to watch Mrs. Madoff and family like a hawk for the rest of their lives - whether they’re sent to prison or not. 

By Sherry Hubbell on 05/13/2009 7:39 am
MK P
It’s beginning to look like perhaps, like a classic Ponzi scheme, there were top tier investors who earned astronomical returns (like 950%) on their money, while Maddoff brought in lower tier investors who on paper earned around 12% — so their new money could fund returns for the upper tier.    I suspect it will be found out that knowledge of how this scam was working wasn’t limited to just Maddoff and his family.
By MK P on 05/13/2009 8:00 am
Sherry Hubbell

I agree.

I’m sure there are other people involved in this scam.  Not to underestimate the power of one to commit some truly evil acts, but when it comes to this kind of financial scheme - I just don’t believe that Madoff pulled it off alone.  We’re talking about astronomical (to most people) numbers and lots of complicated maneuvering.  How he could not have accomplices, I don’t know.  I hope they find the bastards and/or bitches and prosecute them to the fullest extent of the law.  And maybe pass some new ones custom-made just for these particular criminals.

By Sherry Hubbell on 05/13/2009 5:08 pm
nanchan u

And we are surprised by this… why?

 

By nanchan u on 05/13/2009 9:43 am
Andrea Brandon

This isn’t news. It WOULD have been news had he NOT withdrawn any $$$.

By Andrea Brandon on 05/13/2009 5:08 pm
jules verne
Sad that this man has no conscience and neither does anyone around him that knew what he was doing.  I don’t believe he pulled off such a coup all by himself.  (Why won’t the law go after women like they pursue men?)
By jules verne on 05/13/2009 5:43 pm
Robin P
For some reason I can’t read enough about this horrid crook.  What’s wrong with me?  I find it so incredible that he pulled it off for so long - IN PLAIN SIGHT - stealing as much as he could.  We can only hope that each grand meal he consumed made him sick, and that Ruth, his side-kick had to deal with him.  How did she stay with him?  I wonder about the human condition.  Prison isn’t bad enough for these people, nor is the death penalty.  Maybe freedom would be worse.
By Robin P on 05/13/2009 8:15 pm