Madoff: The Final Word
by Richard Behar
View on GoodreadsBehar's argument is that Bernie Madoff's fraud began decades before the date Madoff confessed to, and that it couldn't have run without a wide circle of enablers. He worked the case for about 15 years, including prison meetings and more than 300 emails with Madoff, and you find few innocent bystanders.
Core ideas
- Everyone around him: Investors, Wall Street insiders, family members and major US and European banks share responsibility, with JPMorgan Chase singled out.
- Damage past one man: Losses came to about $68 billion and two suicides followed, while 13 associates and two outside accountants were sentenced and five former employees stood trial.
- Regulators and punishment: The SEC worked within resource limits, and Madoff's 150-year sentence was longer than those of organized-crime figures imprisoned alongside him.
Published2024
Pages384
ISBN9781476726892
ReadMar 2025
