NEW YORK – The eldest son of Bernard Madoff committed suicide today. Or did he?
The eldest son of disgraced financier Bernard Madoff hanged himself by a dog leash in his Manhattan apartment on Saturday, the second anniversary of his father’s arrest in a multibillion-dollar Ponzi scheme that swindled thousands of investors of their life savings, law enforcement officials said.
Mark Madoff, 46, was found hanging from a ceiling pipe in the living room of his SoHo loft apartment as his 2-year-old son slept in a nearby bedroom, two law enforcement officials told The Associated Press.
But there is already speculation in and around New York that Mark Madoff’s suicide was faked and that the eldest son has fled the country to live on an island off the African coast.
“I’ll believe he’s dead when I see the body, and even then I might not believe it,” said David Sternberg, a investor who lost over thirty million dollars with Bernie Madoff. “This family has been screwing with the victims for the last two years. I’m sure this is some scam as well.”
Madoff, who reported his father to authorities, has never been criminally charged in the biggest investment fraud in U.S. history, that has snared a half-dozen Madoff employees.
Mark Madoff and his brother Andrew have said they were unaware of their father’s crimes. But they have been remained under investigation and been named in multiple investor lawsuits accusing them of profiting from the scheme.
“There’s no possible way they were unaware of their father’s activity. No way. They were in it from the beginning,” said Sternberg.
But a third law enforcement official said Sautrday that Madoff’s arrest was not imminent, and that investigators purusing possible charges against him, his brother and uncle hadn’t contacted him for more than a year. The official wasn’t authorized to speak publicly about the case and spoke on condition of anonymity.
Mark Madoff lawyer, Martin Flumenbaum insists that Mark Madoff DID, in fact, kill himself.
“This is a terrible and unnecessary tragedy,” Flumenbaum said in a written statement. “Mark was an innocent victim of his father’s monstrous crime who succumbed to two years of unrelenting pressure from false accusations and innuendo.”
A lawyer for Mark’s mother, Ruth Madoff, said, “She’s heartbroken.” The lawyer, Peter Chavkin, had no further comment.
The legal team assembled for the victims has formed a task force to look into the apparent “suicide” of Mark Madoff. “We don’t believe anything about the Madoff’s. They are all liars,” said Sternberg.
The law enforcement officials, speaking on condition of anonymity because they weren’t authorized to speak publicly about the death. Hmmm…
So what do you think?
Soo…where's the autopsy and pics? The real story will probaby not be known until the county coroner who does the "autopsy" early retires and moves to Bali….
You think he was sent abroad to manage the money that was hidden under the international rug by all (related) parties concerned?
In today's world, anything is possible. Including the implied message in this article.
We are soo played to be fools….
I can’t belieave anything about this case, who knows who got paid off to do something when you are talking this type of money. Maybe he was murdered? Only time will tell
Mark Madoff was the one who ratted out his dad. I think Bernie hired a hitman from inside prison. Then had it staged to look like a suicide.
I just read this this morning 🙁 As I was so sick satday . And to think a life was taken by some ones own hands is really sad . I dont even now these people but my heart go`s out to u and ur love one`s . It just go`s to show MONEY is the root of all evil and people cant even be nice when some 1 die`s thats really sad cos the man had a 2 yr old in the next room . U people with ur heads in ur wallets should really think befor u say nasty thing that make people kill there self cos they cant take all the crap that hits them in the face .. He was only human and so are u . we all do things in life but to be judged by the world is the most HORRIFING thing ever and to be put in the stop light at the same time ??? Well what would U do ?? Do u think u mit have not leson to him he mit have been telling the truth ? U should be a SHAM for judging him ! God is his judge not u . Really sad money is money but life is life i would take life over money