Today was Bernard Madoff's day of reckoning. He was scheduled to receive his sentence for being guilty of hosting the largest Ponzi fraud scheme in history.
His lawyers were recommending a 12 year sentence for the following reasons:
1) He turned himself in.
2) It was a non violent white collar crime.
My thoughts? I'd first have to say lawyers like these are the reason most people hate lawyers. Are they for real??
Bernie turning himself in doesn't count since he only did it as the Ponzi scheme started falling apart. This was going on for over 20 years, and would still be going on if the market collapse didn't uncover the fraud.
Next, it's absurd to try to write this off a a non-violent crime. I would say great violence has been committed on folks whose savings have been wiped away after they have spent a lifetime of working. Many folks will now have to work for the rest of their lives during their golden years with no hope of retiring in comfort- and for robbing billions of dollars from trusting investors and ruining their lives, his lawyers have the nerve to suggest that 12 years is enough.
Fortunately the Judge felt otherwise and sentenced Mr. Madoff to 150 years in prison.
Comments (7)
I sort of feel sorry for his lawyer, who suggested that he only serve 12 years in prison. And the fact that the media says "150 years" instead of just lifetime for a dramatic effect. lol We both know that after 25, is surely enough, since he's 78 now I believe?
x
Yeah, he deserved that sentence definitely!
RYC: Lisa randomly put her fingers in the way while I was taking a picture lol. And the taxi randomly went right in, in addition to the two women who had no idea their pics were going to end up on some teens blog. haha
2) Can't you tell I love sunsets by now? :)
3) You know, I actually walked through the set of I Am Legend in south street seaport without knowing that they were shooting a movie until after I hit the warner bro. signs placed all over the mall area afterwards at the pier. I seriously thought we were being evacuated due to zombies for a brief 5 seconds! :O
4) Thanks :) My digital camera is fully charged and ready to go for more shootings around the city. Don't worry; you won't have to put up with anymore horrible photos!
x Amie
@SoHoian_NightOwl - Wow you feel sorry for the lawyer? =:-0 You must have a heart of gold. =) I think the 150 years shows the level of egregiousness of this crime. I don't think they could charge him with an official life sentence due to sentencing guidelines, so the next best thing was a prison term that would certainly be an equivalent.
I missed the hearing, but wow, that is a joke of a request from Madoff's lawyer! Just because it wasn't physically violent doesn't mean that it wasn't emotionally violent. If somebody killed themselves from losing their life savings due to him, Madoff should be charged with murder as well.
I only wished that he was condemned earlier so that he would rot in jail longer instead of the ground. I think all of his financial investments (house, belongings and all) should be auction off to redeem the victims. I am whole heartedly disgusted by him.
@SoullFire - the only reason why i feel sympathetic towards his lawyer is because he has such a hard case on his hands. Who really truly wants to defend a criminal whose blueprint evidence is so obvious to the public! This guy robbed a nobel prize laureate, depleted hundreds of their savings, pretty much committed the biggest crime on wall st.
150 years.... wow.....