Prosecutors said Bernard Madoff pleaded guilty to an eleven-count criminal information in March 2009 and was sentenced in June 2009 to 150 years in prison with forfeiture of US$170,799,000,000.

Why this label

The criminal record supports both the plea and the sentence. The SDNY prosecutor release states that Madoff pleaded guilty on 12 March 2009 to an eleven-count information^S2. The June 2009 release states that he was sentenced to 150 years in prison and ordered to forfeit a total of US$170,799,000,000^S1. The sentencing judge called the fraud staggering in scope and duration^S1. Madoff admitted guilt, so there was no trial and no contested verdict. He died at a federal prison on 14 April 2021, so no appeal was pursued^S5. The record is final. Prosecutors noted at the plea that they did not agree with all of Madoff's assertions^S2, which left open questions about who else took part.

Current procedural position

Guilty plea entered 12 March 2009^S2. Sentenced to 150 years and US$170.8 billion forfeiture on 29 June 2009^S1. No appeal. Defendant died in federal custody on 14 April 2021^S5. Final.

Evidence score: 96 of 100

The score grades how well the record establishes this assessment. It is not a score of Bernard L. Madoff Investment Securities LLC. Score = source authority + directness + corroboration + procedural accuracy + currency + reproducibility.

Timeline

1. 12 March 2009Guilty plea to 11-count information^S2
2. 29 June 2009Sentenced to 150 years, forfeiture US$170.8 billion^S1
3. 14 April 2021Madoff died in federal custody^S5

Related cases

• United States v. Bernard L. MadoffUS District Court for the Southern District of New York. Criminal. No. 09 Cr. 213 (DC).Stage: Final. Guilty plea and sentence entered, no appeal, defendant deceased.
  • 12 March 2009 Guilty plea to an eleven-count information^S2
  • 29 June 2009 Sentenced to 150 years and US$170.8 billion forfeiture^S1

Revision history

• 25 October 2026 Assessment first published with label Supported.

Have a record that changes this assessment? See corrections and responses.

Sources

1. S2Tier A Bernard L. Madoff Pleads Guilty to 11-Count Criminal Information and Is Remanded Into CustodyUS Attorney's Office, Southern District of New York (via FBI New York). Government press release. 12 March 2009.Supports the guilty plea to eleven felony counts and the prosecutor forecast on recovery. Does not state the scheme's duration.
2. S1Tier A Bernard Madoff Sentenced to 150 Years in PrisonUS Attorney's Office, Southern District of New York (via FBI New York). Government press release. 29 June 2009.Supports the 150-year sentence and the US$170,799,000,000 forfeiture. Does not give a final net loss figure.
3. S5Tier C Ponzi schemer Bernie Madoff dies in prison at 82Associated Press (Michael Balsamo and Tom Hays), via OPB. Press report. 14 April 2021.Supports the date, place and age of Madoff's death in federal custody. Cause given as natural causes by an anonymous source.

Other claims about Bernard L. Madoff Investment Securities LLC

• Outdated88
  At the March 2009 plea a prosecutor said that given the nature and length of the scheme, victims might recover only a small fraction of their losses.
  Regulator statement, 12 March 20093 records citedCorporate status
• Supported82
  The SEC Office of Inspector General found that the agency received credible complaints about Madoff but never performed a thorough investigation and could have uncovered the scheme before he confessed.
  Official report, August 20093 records citedMarket conduct
• Supported77
  The SIPA Trustee reported recoveries of about US$15.509 billion for BLMIS customers and that distributions reached 72.015% of each allowed claim.
  Company statement, 11 December 20252 records citedCorporate status