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More than 100 victims of convicted New York fraudster Bernard Madoff have called on a judge to sentence him harshly at the end of this month, with most seeking the maximum 150 years' imprisonment.
Madoff "ought to be able to look forward to just exactly what he has done to us. No hope, no future and no forgiveness," said Kathleen Bignell of Gunnison, Colorado, who added that she had told her 89-year-old father that he could not die because she no longer had the money to bury him.
In 113 written statements, victims told Judge Denny Chin that Madoff was a "monster" who had ruined their life. The 71-year-old ran a multi-billion dollar Ponzi scheme for decades and pleaded guilty to securities fraud, perjury and other charges last December. He is due to be sentenced on 29 June.
"Please don't let his brilliant criminal mind loose to do it again," Steve Norton pleaded to the judge after describing how he lost $1.1 million (£675,000) in retirement money.
In other letters, victims urged Chin to show no mercy for the man they described variously as "wicked", "cruel", "amoral", "heartless", "ruthless" and "arrogant". One letter called Madoff one of the most hated men in the world.
Jesse Cohen of Summit, New Jersey, told Chin to give Madoff one year off his sentence "for every one billion dollars of hidden money that he reveals. In lieu of that, please make sure that the facility in which he rots is extremely uncomfortable."
Reader views (2)
The worst sentence would be NOT to send him to prison, but to tag him and let him out WITHOUT passport, driver's licence, any access to any banks accounts etc and just $100 to his name. If he survives he should be ordered to use his undoubted financial talents to make money legitimately for the sole benefit of his victims.
- Pete, london
EDITED by admin @ 15.22 on June 16 2009
Religious/Racial
- Thomas Hayes, Leeds UK
