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发帖数: 408 | 1 http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/12/17/AR2010121705773.html
Widow of longtime Madoff investor to return money
By Zachary A. Goldfarb
Washington Post Staff Writer
Friday, December 17, 2010; 7:01 PM
Before his death, Jeffrey M. Picower had benefited more than anyone from
Bernard Madoff's fraud. A longtime investor with the disgraced financier, he
had withdrawn more than $7 billion in other people's money before the Ponzi
scheme was revealed in December 2008. And federal prosecutors, securities
regulators and the IRS were investigating whether he was complicit in the
fraud.
Twenty-four stories above Manhattan, in a law office just one block from
Madoff's old headquarters, his widow, Barbara Picower, had a decision to
make about what to do with the fortune amassed by her husband, a financier
and philanthropist.
He was gone, having drowned in the swimming pool of their Palm Beach home
after suffering a heart attack in October 2009. Barbara Picower was told by
her lawyers they could successfully preserve most of his wealth by fighting
for it in court - perhaps all but $2 billion. But about three months ago,
she told them she wanted to give back all the money they made made through
the Madoff fraud.
On Friday, Picower agreed to turn over $7.2 billion to Madoff's victims, the
largest settlement to date related to the scheme. When combined with other
Madoff-related settlements, the Picower agreement brings Madoff's victims
halfway toward being fully compensated for their losses in the scheme,
according to officials overseeing the victims fund.
"We will return every penny received from almost 35 years of investing with
Bernard Madoff," Picower said in a statement. "I am deeply saddened by the
tragic impact it continues to have on the lives of its victims. It is my
hope that this settlement will ease that suffering."
The vast majority of the money being returned to Madoff investors would have
otherwise gone to charitable groups. And neither Picower nor her family is
left wanting by the settlement. She will receive $200 million from her
husband's estate, their only daughter will release $25 million and a
collection of close family friends and charitable associations will receive
$25 million - all money unrelated to the Madoff case, according to her
lawyer.
An unspecified amount will go to fund a new philanthropic foundation. The
Picowers shuttered their last foundation, which backed causes ranging from
Alzheimer's disease research to the non-profit anti-poverty group Harlem
Children's Zone, after the disclosure of the Madoff fraud.
"Barbara Picower has done the right thing," said Preet Bharara, the top
federal prosecutor in Manhattan, who is investigating Madoff accomplices.
Irving Picard, a federally appointed lawyer overseeing the process of
compensating Madoff victims, acknowledged that while he had earlier
suspected that Jeffrey Picower "might have or should have known of Mr.
Madoff's fraud," he said he had concluded that "there is no basis to pursue
the complaint."
Picard has sued hundreds of investors to reclaim money on behalf of victims.
This month, he sued Vienna-based Bank Medici and its founder Sonja Kohn and
dozens of other groups seeking $19.6 billion.
He also this month sued J.P. Morgan Chase for $6.4 billion, claiming the big
bank abetted Madoff's fraud because it ignored red flags about his business
. The bank has denied the allegations.
The Madoff fraud was the largest Ponzi scheme in history, wiping out tens of
billions of dollars of wealth for thousands of investors, including the
elderly, universities and philanthropic groups. Madoff is serving a 150 year
prison sentence. His son, Mark Madoff, committed suicide last Saturday.
In an interview, William Zabel, the Picowers' longtime lawyer, said it was "
extremely important" for Barbara Picower to see her husband's name be
cleared if she were going to settle.
He said with the death of her husband, "she concentrated her energy even
more in doing charitable work."
"It was becoming more and more stressful with all the confrontation with"
different authorities, he said. She wanted to give all the money back "so
nobody could say that they kept any of it and so she get on with life."
Zabel said Barbara Picower was a private person and would not be giving any
interviews. | Z****g
发帖数: 13731 | 2 老犹这个群体总有一天会再杯具的
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Ponzi
【在 f*r 的大作中提到】
: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/12/17/AR2010121705773.html
: Widow of longtime Madoff investor to return money
: By Zachary A. Goldfarb
: Washington Post Staff Writer
: Friday, December 17, 2010; 7:01 PM
: Before his death, Jeffrey M. Picower had benefited more than anyone from
: Bernard Madoff's fraud. A longtime investor with the disgraced financier, he
: had withdrawn more than $7 billion in other people's money before the Ponzi
: scheme was revealed in December 2008. And federal prosecutors, securities
: regulators and the IRS were investigating whether he was complicit in the
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