Comments on: Poor Ruth Madoff…

By: Damon_Day

Damon_Day — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 10:56:14 +0000

I think Pam nailed it, willful ignorance. Sure there was a ligit side to his business but we are talking billions of dollars of ill gotten gains. If she didn't know she at least had so have some suspicions and just never voiced them. You would think after so many years, Madoff would have to have told someone about it.

Playing Devils Advocate for a second. Madoff probably looked at social security and Medicare and thought to himself, hey, must not be illegal if the government is doing it. No?

By: Pam Knox

Pam Knox — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 18:58:58 +0000

There's such a thing as willful ignorance. Carmella Soprano anyone?

By: Stacey

Stacey — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 00:43:00 +0000

If the IRS has "innocent spouse relief" I believe the lady is entitled to a bit of a break for keeping some of their net worth. As far as the investors having nothing…yes, her husband was a crook…but shame on them for having *all their eggs in one basket*. That's just stupidity! Are we bailing them out next?

If we can be tough on people who got into a mortgage they couldn't afford, why can't we be tough on people who didn't check out to whom they were entrusting their (life) savings?!!

And yes, it would be great if she did get a job, but I do feel empathy for her. What a tumble.

By: Tina

Tina — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 18:50:24 +0000

It's sad that she has to pay the price for his mistakes, in a sense yes. But, that's part of being married. You tie yourself to your husband and all that he is. Therefore, yes, it's too bad she has to sacrifice for his grave errors… but she does.
I believe the smartest thing she could do would be to willingly sacrifice that all – if nothing else, to save a little of her own dignity in light of his failure.

By: eden

eden — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 15:23:30 +0000

Considering how many people Bernie fooled, I *do* think it is entirely possible that his wife didn't know it was a scam.

I'm sure at least some legitimate money was earned prior to the scam and I don't see why we should take issue with her having a little cash to live on. She did just lose her husband and she looks like a fool to most of the world. Fair enough in my mind.

By: Chris

Chris — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 14:33:33 +0000

Mrs. Madoff deserves nothing. Her husband bilked people out of their investments. Investors have nothing so should she.Every dime should be returned to investors.

By: frank

frank — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 12:54:43 +0000

let her get a job like the rest of us!!!!

By: Dan

Dan — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 09:25:09 +0000

Not all of the money was from the scam. His business had a legit side. It's possible she didn't know about the scam. His office had two floors. Only two people were allowed on the floor where the scam took place.

By: Stacey

Stacey — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 04:08:28 +0000

Wasn't the guy entitled to a "Wall St Salary" despite the illegality of some of his actions. Nothing like kicking a girl when she's down…

I know plenty of women who let their husbands take care of everything. It's atrocious to me in this day and age that women choose not to be financially literate/ informed…but she is of the generation that "trusted their man" so it is possible she did not know.

As far as sending off the jewelry to protect it…who wouldn't try to shelter something that could be converted to cash? In divorce proceedings this crap happens all the time. She probably didn't know how bad it was going to get and the jewelry, to her, was the money with which she might have to live out her days.

Nonetheless, I hope the government is turning over every stone for off-shore money. I bet there's some somewhere. Can you yodel?

By: LoMo

LoMo — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 22:05:01 +0000

Even if she didnt know they should liquidate all they have and give back something to those who lost their money. After all it is all from stolen money.