On Wednesday, Bernie Madoff, aged 82, died in federal prison, a source told The Associated Press.
Madoff was a former U.S. financier who created and plead guilty in 2009 to the largest Ponzi scheme in history spanning four decades where he made billions of dollars.
On December 11, 2008, Madoff was arrested and his offices were raided by the FBI after his sons turned him in.
In the court hearings, he said he was “deeply sorry and ashamed.” Madoff was so hated that he even had to wear a bulletproof vest to his court appearances.
His punishment was given by U.S. District Judge, Denny Chin, who sentenced Madoff to 150 years in prison.
It is estimated that Madoff swindled an estimated 37,000 investors in 136 countries.
In 2020 Madoff’s lawyers attempted to get him released from prison citing COVID-19 concerns as Madoff suffered from an end-stage renal disease and other chronic health conditions, their request was denied.
The only surviving member of the Madoff family is Bernie’s wife, Ruth. Both of their sons died, Mark from suicide at age 46 in 2010 and Andrew from cancer at age 48.