The New York Times has just reported that a federal judge sentenced Bernard L. Madoff to 150 years in prison for operating a huge Ponzi scheme that devastated thousands of people, calling his crimes “extraordinarily evil.”
Apparently, Mr. Madoff finally expressed some regret before a courtroom packed with victims:
I’m responsible for a great deal of suffering and pain, I understand that…I live in a tormented state now, knowing all of the pain and suffering that I’ve created. I’ve left a legacy of shame, as some of my victims have pointed out, to my family and my grandchildren.
And, addressing his victims directly, “I will turn and face you. I’m sorry. I know that doesn’t help you.”
You can read about the international extent and tentacles of Mr. Madoff’s massive Ponzi scheme in “Mr. Madoff, Can You Say ‘Sorry’ in Dutch, and in Spanish, and in…”
The author is a retired U.S. Air Force officer and a writer.