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Madoff absolved his wife of any knowledge of his scheming in a statement prior to his sentencing. He told Judge Denny Chin: "How do you excuse lying and deceiving a wife of 50 years, who still stands by you." Ruth Madoff said she was "embarrassed and ashamed" and the person she married is not the person who was sentenced Monday. The following is her first statement since the Dec. 11 arrest of her husband: I am breaking my silence now, because my reluctance to speak has been interpreted as indifference or lack of sympathy for the victims of my husband Bernie's crime, which is exactly the opposite of the truth. From the moment I learned from my husband that he had committed an enormous fraud, I have had two thoughts -- first, that so many people who trusted him would be ruined financially and emotionally, and second, that my life with the man I have known for over 50 years was over. Many of my husband's investors were my close friends and family. And in the days since December, I have read, with immense pain, the wrenching stories of people whose life savings have evaporated because of his crime. My husband was the one we (and I include myself) respected and trusted with our lives and our livelihoods, often for many, many years, and who was respected in the securities industry as well. Then there is the other man who stunned us all with his confession and is responsible for this terrible situation in which so many now find themselves. Lives have been upended and futures have been taken away. All those touched by this fraud feel betrayed; disbelieving the nightmare they woke to. I am embarrassed and ashamed. Like everyone else, I feel betrayed and confused. The man who committed this horrible fraud is not the man whom I have known for all these years. In the end, to say that I feel devastated for the many whom my husband has destroyed is truly inadequate. Nothing I can say seems sufficient regarding the daily suffering that all those innocent people are enduring because of my husband. But if it matters to them at all, please know that not a day goes by when I don't ache over the stories that I have heard and read. Madoff has not named any accomplices, and only his outside accountant has been charged, but few believe he acted alone. Victims want the New York District Attorney's Office to keep investigating. Ruth Madoff has not been charged with anything, and on Friday she made a deal with federal prosecutors to sell most of the couple's assets -- the $7.5 million co-op and primary residence in Manhattan, the $11 million house in Palm Beach, Fla., the $3 million beach house in Montauk, N.Y., as well as jewelry insured at more than $2.6 million and two fur coats valued at $48,500. In exchange, the Justice Department agreed to let the 68-year-old woman keep $2.5 million. Additionally, she was recently seen riding the subway. But finding a place to live, especially in New York, is easier said than done. The New York Post is reporting that landlords don't want to rent to Mrs. Madoff. She has started using her maiden name, Alpern, but no luck there either. "She has nowhere to go," a top broker said. "No one wants someone with her name in their building. People like their privacy." - Donna Block See story about Madoff's sentencing from Dealscape
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From: conor spillane,
The idea Mrs Madoff did not have any idea of what was going on is simply not true. She shared a life with this monster and she was a bookeeper. She must have known something also to the victims there must assets hided around the world. They will be hard to find but they must be there.
Posted on:
June 30, 2009 12:57 PM
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How much did Bernie Madoff's wife know? According to him, nothing. 
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The entire Madoff family should be stripped of assets and left to start from zero. Leaving Ruth $2.5 million is a slap in the face to every victim. She should be in a housing project on welfare and every cent possible should be returned to victims. The sons and brothers should face the same asset stripping - they have all lived under the umbrella of Bernie's criminal enterprise and should no longer be allowed to enjoy the luxury of stolen wealth. Let them earn their money like the victims did.