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Case file · U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, United States

Bernard Lawrence Madoff: charges, verdict and sentence

United States
v.
Madoff
U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, United States · 2009 to 2021

Bernard Madoff pleaded guilty on 12 March 2009 to 11 federal criminal counts arising from a multibillion dollar Ponzi scheme and on 29 June 2009 was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Denny Chin to 150 years in prison. A request for compassionate release was denied in June 2020, and he died in federal custody at FMC Butner, North Carolina, on 14 April 2021.

Where it stands nowMadoff died in federal custody on 14 April 2021.

Charges and outcomes

ChargeOutcomeDate
Eleven federal counts: securities fraud, investment adviser fraud, mail fraud, wire fraud, three money laundering counts, false statements, perjury, a false filing with the SEC, and theft from an employee benefit plan3,1Pleaded guilty12 March 2009

Sentence

150 years in federal prison, imposed on 29 June 2009.

Court record, stage by stage

  1. verdictPleaded guilty to 11 federal counts3,2
    U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, Judge Denny Chin
  2. sentenceSentenced to 150 years in prison4,1
    U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, Judge Denny Chin
  3. appealBureau of Prisons denied his request for release, saying release would minimize the severity of his offense2
    Federal Bureau of Prisons
  4. appealFiled a motion for compassionate release citing end stage kidney disease2
    U.S. District Court, S.D. New York
  5. appealSentencing judge denied compassionate release, writing that it was fully the intent of the 2009 sentence that he live out the rest of his life in prison1
    U.S. District Court, S.D. New York
  6. deathDied at the Federal Medical Center in Butner, North Carolina, aged 82, the Bureau of Prisons confirmed1

Sources

  1. Federal Defender Services (fd.org), reproducing an AP report, Bernie Madoff dies in federal prison (14 April 2021)
  2. KTVU (Associated Press), Madoff seeks prison release, citing terminal kidney failure (5 February 2020)
  3. FBI New York Field Office, Bernard L. Madoff pleads guilty to 11 count criminal information and is remanded into custody (12 March 2009) · court or official record
  4. UPI, Madoff given 150 year prison term (29 June 2009)

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