CNN

Jail? I'd give him the electric chair. This greedy guy deserves no less than capital punishment.

Are you kidding?

A Big Yes Jack! Yet again another judge with a bad decision that seems to have been made with no thought of who was hurt by this Mad Man Madoff! Lock him up and throw the key away!

Lets see how can I put it, oh yeah....YES, he belong in jail. Why? He has the contacts and possible money stashed that make him a serious flight risk. How hard would it be for him to jump on a plane, fly down to an Island Nation we can touch him at and all he does is sit back and laugh at us. Put him in Jail.

Is he a flight risk? Is he likely to commit further crimes until his trial? Let's make sure Madoff is locked up only because the law (as interpreted by a judge) dictates it, not because of public outcry about what is "fair". If we had followed public opinion instead of the law in the OJ Simpson trials, the Juice would've been "juiced" long ago.

Jack; Yes Jack Madoff belongs in jail. I have serious questions concerning the Judge that refuses to apply the law equally. How can we trust the Legal system when it uses its power in this manner. Jack, I have believed for quite some time that our legal system has turned into a legal INDUSTRY. Doesn't this prove it ?

Of course he does; but want to bet on him spending any real time there? I say the Obama administration should hire him to raise money for our bailout debts.

There is a concept in jurisprudence that lawyers are officers of the court and cannot misstate facts when zealously representing their clients. So how can Bernie Madoff's lawyer get away with saying in court that his client did not know that he was violating home detention conditions when he mailed over a million dollars of jewelry to family and friends? And what about those checks cut just before Christmas for over $147 million? If Madoff is not recognized as a sophisticated person, then who? This is not ignorance; it is just another fraud aided, this time, by his lawyer. Madoff's blue ribbon lawyer should become an example and join Madoff in his fate.

Jack,

If Madoff is convicted, he should be put into solitary confinement for the rest of his life with no access to any means of communicating with the outside world. While he is awaiting trial, I have no problem with his being free on bail and under careful surveillance.

Jim
Reno, Nevada

Absolutely. Now that that hasn't happened an inventory of material goods should be taken and take all checkbooks away and have all his accounts frozen. All assets are to be managed by a reputable money/asset manager, not someone picked by Madnoff.

No he should become the Secretary on the Treasure since he is a professional at ripping people off.

It would be fitting for him to be cooling his heels in the slammer while this gets sorted out.......nicer yet if he was placed in a cell with a big mean man named Bubba.

Does accused $50 billion swindler Bernard Madoff belong in jail until his trial?

HELL YES!

Jenna
Roseville CA

Jack,
AS ticked off as I am Bernard Madoff is under housearrest on Fifth Ave. I would rather keep the jails free for murders child abusres and rapists. Maybe somesort of halfway house would be appropriate since he has and probably will continue to violate terms of his probation by stashing assests anywhere he can.

YES , that's a no brainer, but what is worse, is that we have Courupt Judges who get bought off to keep these kind of people out of jail , were all the rest of us would have been locked up from day one.
Sarah
Dade City, Fl.

Yes him Bush and Cheney can roomate together in a cell.After all the back door deals for eight years in this administration that Bush and Cheney pulled off at the cost of the american people? It is no different then what Madoff did! They scammed the people and the market to make themselves rich at the cost of America.Why do you think we are in the shape we are in today?
Only difference is Bush and Cheney get a free pass because America trusted them and put them in office.With out a doubt the worst president and vice president to ever hold office.
Run that one by the people Jack.

How did he get out in the first place?
If what we are being told is true with his sending money, luxurious items etc to friends and family than he should be put in solitary
confinement. Why are not all his assets and his access not
frozen?

Of course he does. But he's a high profile person, the justice system always fails when it comes to high profile people.

Madoff needs to be thrown to his victims and let them "tell" him how they feel.

How much does a man have to steal before he belongs in jail. Apparently if he is a part of Wall Street the sky is the limit. Maybe jail can't stop him from distributing his ill gotten gain, but you can be sure he will contnue in the comfort of his office.

I'm not defending her actions - but Martha Stewart went to jail for a hell of a lot less - Oh – but she wasn't a Washington DC insider was she -

Absolutely not. He has the same right to distort, manipulate, and game our legal system as any other criminal. It's the American way. It's what made us the great country we are today...

I can't believe the judge let this guy off to spend his days in a luxury while others that he ripped-off are wondering what to do without their money. This is an outrage!

Looks like the bigger the fraud, the more special treatment people get. If I were guilty of even 1% of what this man has done I would be put under the jail. How is "house Arrest" in a multi million dollar home any kind of justice? Just shows that there is a seperate set of laws for the rich and famous.

Money talks everything else goes to hell; he should be crucified not jailed; I will bet you, If OJ got out; JA JA; please let’s make it real, I bet you on some small; very small fine print, he will get out on some technicality.
I always say “money is not everything, but sure is the down payment for happiness. Oh what a happy guy Bernard is…………………….

Guaynabo,Puerto Rico

Jack – No. He should be sent straight to hell! Jail is too good for him.

Nothing is happening to the so-called upper-crust Wall Street Brokers and Bankers for scamming & ripping off the American Taxpayer for $350 Billion - Our leadership in DC don't even expect them to answer questions about what they did with the money - (is anyone thinking "off-shore accounts" here??) - So why should good ol' Bernie Madoff be treated any different - To be honest I'm supprised he's even under house arrest - Jail – Pashaw - Get Real - How undignified for a Wall Street Trader of his stature –

Without a doubt. I can't believe this man is sitting in a posh setting, when the people he robbed are committing suicide. He should be in jail and get used to what it is like.
Shame on the judge that lets him enjoy himself,so he can plan how to cheat someone else. The christmas gifts was the last straw, GIVE ME A BREAK.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Absolutely. He's a professional scammer.. A 50 billion dollar professional scammer. He is extremely resourceful and calculating. Any time he spends out of prison increases the chance that he will successfully hide assets which would otherwise be ceased.

Yes he and all the crooks on wallstreet should be in jail. It is a shame
that only the people without money are the ones who go to jail. When someone loses in the stockmarket someone wins. Who has all
the money?

Yes. If a guy caught with a $10 bag of pot can go to jail, so can one of the biggest swindlers in history. He's the one who told authorities it was a giant Ponzi scheme, right? It seems there is one legal system for the average person and another for the moneyed.

The legal system is sound in this country, although sometimes, incomprehensible decisions are made. The judge listens to the arguments, reviews the appropriate statutes and makes his decisions. If there is a disagreement, there are remedies. Trust the professionals to sort this out.

Jack, what would happen if you or I did what Madoff did? We'd be in jail for the rest of our lives. You bet he belongs in jail. After ruining the lives of so many people, why should he get to sit in his penthouse?

The message this sends to the American people and the world is there are two justice systems in this country; one for the rich and one for the rest of us!

Yes he belongs in jail but sent to jail by a jury and a judge. He is no threat to society. However I do hope he gets yelled at spit upon and treated harshley everywhere he goes in NYC.

Yes Jack he does belong in jail and should have been there since the moment he confessed his crime. What had become of that statement that we are all equel under the law, its the biggest lie under the sun.
It is time for we the people to demand that the Law's get changed and make common sence, this farce of one law for the rich and another for the rest of us.
Joseph Ingram
Dade City, Fl.

I think he should be in prison for the rest of his life if he is guilty. White collar crime is out of hand in this country and examples need to be set. No time like the present to do so.

Yes Bernie should be in Jail. There are many more Wall Street fat cats that should be in jail for scamming people. I was scammed 3 times in the last 6 months alone and the companies that scammed me got bailed out for billions of dollars. This is what happens when we deregulate everything.

Yes. He's a flight risk.

He belongs in jail and the Judge who extented his bail should be investigated. This is a prime example of the double standard between the rich and the poor in this country. When will it stop?

Yes and yes. Just because he's a rich old man doesn't mean that he should at home on house arrest if he should be in jail. He's ruined a lot of people's lives and broken plenty of laws. He shouldn't get treated differently that anyone else.

Troy, Ohio

Jail is too good for him, besides, the taxpayers would have to pay for his room and board.
Instead, he should be stripped of all assets, forced to live in one of the excess FEMA trailers stored at the airport in Hope, Arkansas. (We have thousands of them still available) He can look for a minimum wage job to pay his bills and buy some beans. Then, maybe he will have a first-hand understanding of the pain he has inflicted on his investors and become the poster-child for the type of punishment swindlers deserve.
If he is found innocent, we can always say “oops, sorry”, just like they tell us when our investments evaporate.

Bernard Madoff deserves to be in the worst lock-up imaginable. He obviously has no ability to think beyond himself. What happened to decent people and charities, who were taken in by him, is awful. It is time to show this Gordon Gecko that greed is bad.

Jim
Chicago, IL

The govt. used the wrong reason for putting the S.O.B. in jail.He would not be a "Flight Risk" with all the guards outside. The better reason would be to prevent him from "committing suicide" if he was in jail.

Well lets see Jack, will he be a flight risk if he was set free?

Ron San Diego

If there ever was a person who belongs in jail it is this man. Not only did he steal over $50 billion of people's money, he then was caught trying to hide money for himself with sending checks and expensive items to friends and family. He has shown no remorse and has the means to sneak out of a country like a weasel and hide from prosecutors. He should be sent to a prison where you carry your soap on a rope to take a shower. I know here and Pennsylvania there were people sent to jail just for stealing a few dollars worth of gas. This man stole over 50 billion and is permitted to live in a park avenue apartment. Where is the justice!!?

YES!!!!

Yes

The govt. used the wrong reason to put the crook in jail.He is not a "flight risk" with all the guards outside his mansion. The better reason would be to prevent him from "committing suicide" if he was safe in jail.

Absolutely! I don't understand WHY he isn't there right now.

Jack, is the Pope catholic?

If I called him a jerk instead of a crook would that help??

It's obvious he has no remorse since he is trying to hid his assets. Put him in jail and throw away the key!

YES! He is a con man. What will be his next con to hide assets, even with the more restrictive conditions placed on his bail agreement?

Tunneling? Helicopters? Carrier pigeons?

Absolutely he belongs in jail! If somebody robbed you of $50 in public and got caught, chances are he'd be in jail waiting for his day in court. But this guy robbed people of a billion times that (billion = 12 zeroes) that and he gets to live in a penthouse? How much do you think he's dodged in taxes all these years during the time he was ripping everyone off? I wonder if they are taking any bets in Vegas that he even does any jail-time.

Did you really have to ask this question? Of course he should. If a persons steals a small amount of money to feed their drug habit they are, if convicted, sent away to prison. Someone who steals large amounts of money from investors is just a quilty and should face similar consequences. And I don't mean in some country-club minimum security lock up but in a maximum security prison where he will actually be punished.

Jack you will be hard pressed to find anybody that would agree with the judge and let this low life remain at his 14 million dollar apartment.

With out a dobt, look what he is doing hiding funds. Anybody else would have gone straight to jail, and so should he.
His crimes are just as serious as robbing a bank. That would get him jail time.

He must have friends in "high places". If anyone else had swindled that much money they would be in or UNDER the jail. Lock him up! No more damage. Seize all his assets NOW.

No, he belongs under the jail.

If he weren't a billionaire, he already would be! He's already trying to hide assets including jewelry, watches, and cash even though he's been told not to - and by the way, who let him get away with that? Put him in custody, and block access to his assets by his family, other than enough to pay ordinary bills. They need to become accustomed to what their victims are suffering, if you ask me!

It's hard to understand a person that can be so unfeeling toward his fellow man. He's under house arrest and wears one of those things on his ankle so he's really not going anywhere. On the other hand, if he's in jail, he won't be able to hide or do away with assets such as jewelry, etc.

Jack: No---Why? He hasn't been found guilty of the allegations-yet.

Jack,

With the amount of money Madoff has lock him up now so he does not leave this country for somewhere where he might buy a country and claim himself an untouchable Emperor.

Dean

Jail time is too good for Madoff. He should be forced to work on a supervised minimum wage job until he can pay back all his victims.

If he were an "ordinary" person and not part of the elit he would most certainly be in jail!

Catch a petty purse-snatcher off the street & he'll be sleeping in jail. Catch a "mogul" who destroyed hundreds of lives, caused the collapse of charities, and incited suicide, and he gets to go home to his posh digs while his lawyers go to work hiding the truth. Give me a break.

Hi, my name is Bernie, and I Made-off with your life savings...

You bet he should be arrested! Enough of this double standard for either those of political or social/financial standing. A crook is a crook is a crook!

Not only does he belong in jail, he should be chained to the wall of a dungeon. Didn't they used to execute people in the middle ages for stealing a loaf of bread? Why is this guy still walking around?

I know of petty thieves who have gone to jail for more time than this "genius." Absolutely yes.

No. Our laws do not allow rich, white men to be behind bars only poor, minorities or poor white folks have to rot in jail while awaiting trial. I think if you do the crime you must do the time no matter who you are or how much money you have. Life is not fair but geez come on just another slap in the faces of the lower class.

Well, you could let the CIA question him about where all that money went. I'm sure waterboarding would achieve the desired result. Once they get the information throw him into Quantanamo.

Jack, I am sure that this swindler is getting the same considerations from the bench that you or I would get. Afterall, we are all equal under the law. Justice in this country is color blind and not determined by the size of one's bank account, where one lives, and/or who one knows(sic).

Jack: Yes, Bernard Madoff deserves to be under the jail. Charities work very hard for funds they use to help the less children and those who need assistance. Madoff used these charities in the worst way possible. I hope when is finally thrown in jail it is for the rest of his life.

John
Alabama

Your Darn right he does.

Just goes to show you what money can buy in America.

Yes, you are suppossed to be innocent until proven guilty in a court of law but......there are many people in jail because they were denied bond or cannot post bond, who are charged with doing far less then Madoff is charged with.

I have an idea that "Justice" will be on his side....because no one wants to tick this guy off.....he could start talking and naming some names.

Someone that callous and that rich is a flight risk. He's used his freedom to live grandly. Don't send him to a penthouse, let him wait for his trial in a jail cell. Why is there so little sympathy for poor people who have nothing and break the law and so much concern for rich people who have everything and it's never enough? This guy deserves ZERO breaks. Lock him up. cy gardner arlington va

They need to lock him up and throw away the key. He appears to be smiling every time I see him on the news. Could it be he thinks he will get off with a slap on the hand?

Jack, I just can't see him getting put in jail by himself. He had to have help in order to do this. Yes, he should go to jail, but so should those who helped him.

There are people in jail for bouncing $100 checks, smoking a joint, or looking at a cop the wrong way. What this guy did flies in the face of reality itself, and his flight risk is enormous.

Absolutely! Ever since the judge ruled today that Madoff can stay in his ritzy apartment, I've been wondering if the judge was in on this scheme! I hate it that I have become so cynical!

I can't BELIEVE this scumbag is left running loose. sooner or later he will pull a Marc Rich and end up in some country with no extradition like Switzerland or Brazil.

Without a doubt. This criminal has the means to flee to a country where we have no extradition treaty, and will do so. Every day this man is on the streets is an insult to our laws and to the honest hard working people who expect protection from low life like him. How many people are wasting away in prisons right now for petty crimes where no victim is involved? And how many times can the government let guys like him off the hook without expecting some sort of social uprising? Frankly, I'm surprised that one of his victims haven't taken him out yet.

Absolutely, as should the entire treasury department for giving away to their rich banking buddies 350 billion tax dollars. The rich take care of the rich, no accountability, and they decide which laws are enforced and to whom they enforce them on. I am so disgusted, I wish I could just quit paying taxes. These people who rip off the American people should go to jail. You're right Jack, it is getting ugly out here!

The 50 Billion Dollar word is yes! The price of freedom is honesty.

If he is using his liberty to obstruct Justice, yes.

If running a $50 billion ponzi scheme is the criteria for going to jail, then every President and Member of Congress for the past 40 years should be locked up for the their involvement in the Social Security ponzi scheme. That and if you were Madoff would you run...and where? For the amount of money he lost or swindled you can bet the the bounty hunter ad would read dead or alive. (to quote Dubya)

Yes, he belongs there with the other crooks.

under the jail

hi jack
alot of Madoff clients cant even afford to stay in their homes because of his bull,so he shouldnt be able to stay in his house it should be sold.
clearwater,fl

Does Bernard Madoff belong in Jail? Of course he does! Mr. Madoff ruined the lives of those who trusted him.Madoff represents what's wrong with America. We need to Regulate the financial firms so that another like him doesn't ruin any more lives!

Under the jail is more like it Jack.

Absolutely Madoff belongs in jail,but it won't happen because money runs the judical system once again.Ron inAR

People are put in jail for stealing a loaf of bread and held because they cannot make bail. Bernie should be in jail for fifty billion theft obviously. I also thought there was a law that required that bail money be clean money. How could Madoff ever get his hands on clean or not stolen money to make bail? This man needs to be handled as an extremely dirt bag nasty criminal. Or maybe even as a traitor for all the damage he has done and the lives ruined in this country. Of course he should be in jail. There should not even be a discussion about this. Of course I see nobody has been charged with a crime yet in the bank credit swindles that damn near brought the U.S. to its knees according to all the pundits. Not even a whisper of ," Hey, shouldn't Somebody be in jail for all this crap?" Not even a whisper why not Jack?

Isn't Madoff a "Financial Terrorist"? What about "Waterboarding"? A Poor Man robs a store to feed his family and he will go to jail. Madoff steals billions, wrecks thousands of lives, and he's living like a rock star. Where is the equality between White and Blue Collar Crime? I'm disgusted with the whole thing.

Jack
Does he belong in jail ? This guy should be locked up right now in Greenhaven Prison in upstate New York doing hardtime with a 350lb Bubba as his cell mate and this would not be good enough for this slug.

He should have never been given any chance for bail. He has even admitted his crime. His actions of writing all those checks and mailing out valuables proves that he has no remorse. With 2 sucicides caused by his crimes his should be tried for murder.
His lawyers say he is being punished now by having his movements restricted. Living in a 7 million penthouse is not punishment, if it is I want to tell someone about all the bad thinks I have done and can remember. That should keep me pretty comfortable for the rest of my life.

Since Bernard Madoff's penthouse is future restitution and morally belongs to his victims, he should be moved into a shabby one room tenement in the South Bronx until his trial. Jail is too good for him.

HELL YES !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

YES, a classic example of "elitist" justice!

Let's see....he operated one of the largest Ponzi Schemes in history, stole from the likes of Eli Wiesel, took more money then some country's gross per year and then mailed off the goods to friends and family. Clearly this judge wasn't one of his victims. Does he belong in jail? Does a dog lick his butt?

There's a $50 billion dollar money trail to follow and with Madoff in jail the trail leads to nowhere.

Tough call. Can you say, "redistribution of wealth," Jack? If Bernie "Made Off With Everyone's Cash" is allowed to hang out in his Manhattan crib until his trial, then expect "Bank of Bernie" to go bust after he writes checks to all his friends and family.

I believe it would only be fair to have this man incarcerated. Hopefully, he can be in a cell with a very large man, covered in body hair, who will make Mr. Madoff his wife.

Of course he should be in jail!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Not only for the horrible things he did to all who lost everything because of his schemes and greed, but because people are getting in line for gun permits, I assume, and would love to see him disappear off the face of the earth. It really isn't too smart for him to be running around loose.

Madoff will never go to jail. Too many wealthy people are embarrassed by the losses they took. Most won't even testify against him due to fear that they will be identified as one of his victims. I think most of his victims, as well as the U.S. Government, is hoping that he will flee the country and save everyone from a trial.

I don't know that he belongs in prison-but he definetly doesn't deserve to chill out in his multi-million dollar penthouse under house arrest.

Jack, who cares? What is that going to accomplish? I doubt if he will be found entirely guilty even at his trial because he had gullible people who went along investing with him. He was abetted by lax regulations that made it easy for him to carry out his investment hoax. I'm surprised the Bush administration overlooked him for a key cabinet post. At least he was good at what he did. How can you fault someone who used the market system to make money in the same way that many of the CEOs of the major investment firms that went bankrupt? Are these people in jail? If you are deemed important to the economy, such as the auto and investment sector, incompetence is never punished, but rewarded.

absolutely!! would you be asking this question if he were joe "schmoe" or is the moral bias a little different because he is wealthy?

Do I belong in jail if i robbed a bank? Even though the banks are just as corrupt as Mr. Madoff, yes I would belong in jail and yes he belongs in jail.

Of course ,and maybe someone else, along with him. If that had been you or I who did this, we would be in the poky so quickly our heads would spin. Are we going by double standards, here?

Absolutely, if it were you or I it wouldn't even be an issue. If you were arrested who wouldn't want to spend the time in a Park Ave, apartment? Bernie is going to try to string this out until he dies.

If Madoff deserves to be in prison for running a Ponzi scheme, shouldn't the politicians in Washington also deserve to be in prison for running their (much more expensive and confiscatory) Ponzi scheme (ie Social Security)?

Absolutely. This is a true example how the justice system acts unfairly. If it were me a plain Jane with no money, i would be immediatelly jailed for doing such a dishonest thing. Wake up Judges and be fair.

No, he and a lot of the Wall Street shisters like Paulson belong in heaven.

Absolutly!! Not only is greed an obamanation, it is distroying our country. This would be a perfect time to set an exsample.

Jack

Any person who breaks the law should get equal treatment in the courts. I know this does not happen generally but I would say If some nobody did this he should get then same sentence, if found guilty.

Dan

Why?Insurance companies have been running ponzi schemes for years. Like a catastrophe, no one would have known if the market hadn't collapsed. Let him have his day in court. I've made bad investments in my time and no one went to jail. Jim Logansport, In.

If he were anyone else he would be in jail. I really don't understand our system. I see a judge says no. The man got by with all kinds of things for years. The people who are the victims should decide his judgment.

Absolutely........I am Jane Q Public and, if I had stolen a candy bar from a convenience store, I would have been cuffed and taken to jail. It is not fair that a man of his means is able to avoid jail and be confirmed to a multi-million dollar apartment as punishment…..particularly when he has already proven (by his prior deeds) that he has no respect for the law or compassion regarding the welfare of others. After being busted, he is still thumbing his nose at the law by expressly doing things (i.e. mailing jewelry to other family members) to hang on to his possessions. This man is personally responsible for the catastrophic failure of numerous charities and personal fortunes and at least partially responsible for investors that have committed suicide. He should not be allowed to draw another breathe of “free air”.

Absolutely he should be in jail and not some posh jail for the wealthy and privileged. He should be hauled down to the local jail and given all the same treatment that any other common criminal recieves when incarcerated. The authorities need to process him into the jail system immediately because his room mate Bubba is lonely and patiently waiting.

HD
Phoenix, AZ

Yes but probably will buy his way out.

No he's rich they are exempt in America, let him stay out to hide all his illgotten riches. Does this surprise anybody? Put him in a room with all of the people he ripped off, that woud be better justice.

Yep, and I'm sure his cellmates will throw a nice, and richly deserved, housewarming party for him.

An eye for an eye! I bet the people he betrayed will have their own unique way of getting even.

Solitary confinement would be more like it. Or better yet, he should be making little rocks out of big rocks in a prison quarry. No wait, maybe Guantanamo would be a better place for the likes of Madoff.

But non of those will inflicted upon a white collar criminal. He'll probably escape to Isreal.

I am absolutely OUTRAGED that he has been given pass after pass when he was still trying to siphon off money he stole to his family and friends while on bond initially. He belongs in jail and no bond is large enough with all the money he has squirreled away in hidden off shore accounts. He should not be confined to the "luxury" of his home where he can have the comfort of his family and possessions.

Yes, with that amount of money, the least they can do is hold him in jail until his trial. I mean to leave someone like that out on thier own, just invites they to do more harm while they are free.

Yes and all of his financial businesses including his personal need to be frozen now.

Madoff belongs in jail before his trial and after his trial. He is a crook!

Yes, he belongs in jail. He has access to the billions of dollars he stole which gives him the means of fleeing the country. He's definitely high risk in my opinion and is probably safer in jail before someone decides to take justice in their own hands for ruining their life.

NO! He belongs under the jail......or even better turn him loose in a room full of the people he swindled for about 5 minutes....

Jack; This is a no-brainer. YES!!! This man is allowed to remain at-large in the community to further perpetuate his diabolical theivery!!! House arrest is a reward that Madoff doesn't qualify for. Why is he rewarded with house-arrest in a penthouse, while less ambitious criminals are instantly carted off to the nearest steel cot for lesser crimes? The idiot Judge who gave him bail should be mandated to 120 hrs of community service to the victims of this scheme. Madoff's bail is the classic "pouring salt into the wounds of his victims.".

No, he needs to be underneath the jail without a shovel. What do you think would happen to you, or I if we stole five dollars? Justice is blind, there are double standards in this country,or triple standards. Elected officials just keep on being officials after being caught red handed, and we accept it as just another normal day in Washington, but that is not the way it is supposed to be. In a more perfect society everyone should be treated the same, and as equals. Don't think that is going to happen here in the U.S.any time soon.

CORRECTION:

Jack; This is a no-brainer. YES!!! This man is allowed to remain at-large in the community to further perpetuate his diabolical theivery!!! House arrest is a reward that Madoff doesn’t qualify for. Why is he given house-arrest in a penthouse, while less ambitious criminals are instantly carted off to the nearest steel cot for lesser crimes? The idiot Judge who gave him bail should be mandated to 120 hrs of community service to the victims of this scheme. Madoff’s bail is the classic “pouring salt into the wounds of his victims.”.

yes. but, he is of the 'elite'. a guy can steal millions and sit at home until trial. a poor man gets caught with a joint, and has his entire life uprooted ,paying the penalty. the divisions in this country have less to do with political views ,than it has to do with class and power. we are in sad shape, and the wealthy are at fault, because of simple greed.

Not only does Madoff belong in jail, but every one of those Palm Beach Billioinaires who just can't get enough for themselves at any cost to civilization, along with the SEC and any other overseer who allows this kind of thing to go on. Those who invested should lose everything. See if they think there's a free lunch at everyone else's expense after that kind of loss. Seems these days the zillionaires all want bailed out while the working class gets ignored. Time to hock the jewels and pay the piper ladies.

Does maddof belong in jail? what kind of annoying rhetorical question is this jack? ok jack let me ask you,does peperoni belong in a peperoni pizza? thats how annoying your question sounds.

yes, Angola for life.

It is becomming evident that our entire system is a pyramid scheme.
MAdoff and others thought that they could handle their accounts just fine as long as the economy was going well. But, when the bubbles all popped our bankers and investment managers resorted to more dubeous means to keep up appearances. Whether it was Madoff, Lehmann Bros., or Citi, we have been scammed. The big boy got their bailout. Everyone else is going to jail.

HELL YES.

Jack, if you or I stole, say $20 bucks by lying for it and then sticking it in a Ponzi Scheme, you and I would become Bubba's Love Slave in San Quentin. How does this fool rate?

John in Atlanta

Of course Madoff belongs in jail. But once again it's the American golden rule at work. The guys with the gold make the rules.

Yes why is he any different then any other criminal? Rich yes, Above the law? No! But it seems he made a deal that if he could stay in his apartment he would help the prosecutors out with finding all or some of the money he "buried" somewhere!

Not if you believe in the principle "innocent until proven guilty." In this country defendants are supposed to be provided affordable bail when charged with a crime.
Brownwood, Texas

Yes he does. If I steal $ 10 from someone my butt would be in jail awaiting trail but that guy stole $50 billions yet he's walking around freely, eating caviar and drinking merlot. How's that for fairness.

Madoff should be treated like everyone else, not until he has been convicted of the offense.

I am sure there's more to the story than it is being exposed. Whether Madoff stays in house arrest or in jail until trial is not relevant now. The juicy details and long list of accomplices will be the financial story of 2009 ! That's when we'll see Madoff and cronies ( BIG NAMES ) indicted, prosecuted and sentenced to the fed pen for a long, long time.

Yes, he’s a flight risk. And get his fingerprints and DNA secured before he “disappears” like Ken Ley. Enough cash and you can get “somebody” to take the blame for almost anything

Come on Jack. We all know that if you steal enough you won't go to jail. Steal a $500 car and you go to jail. Steal $50 Billion and ruin the live of thousands, you will never spend a day in the slammer. The rich and politicaly connected are above the law . If you don't believe me look at Ken Lay (enron), or Senator Stevens, etc. etc.

Of course, the judge didn't put Madoff in jail. You kidding, he's worth millions.
San Angelo, TX

W H Y is he not in jail ? Please someone explain w h y he is not?

Is there one legal standard for the wealthy Wall St people and another for the Main St people? What in the world is going on in this country? We again see that Wall Street Fat Cats are getting over with just a tap on the hand. There is no way this man should not be behind bars. What he has done is just beyond words he needs to be behind bars in a dark room so he can ponder of the horror he has brought to those who trusted him as he selfishly destoryed their lives.
And my God what was this Judge thinking of? This just sends more negative messages to the public about our court system because if it were me who had comitted this crime I would have been under the jail a long time ago.

Most definitly. If it was you or me. We would be in jail.

YES!! and I think everyone who turned a blind eye to his dealings should be in jail with him.
I also think that it should be against the law to use other peoples money to make the stock market go up and down so much. These hedge funds CEO's are controlling the stock market using other peoples money. when the market goes down then buy OIL run it up.
Ron from Saint Joseph,MO.

This judge, he's an old buddy of this Madoff or something. Law and Order would shape everybody up real quick.

No, he will be in protective custody there. He should be lined up with all those he swindled and they should stone him to death.

Wildwood Crest, NJ

I don't know about jail, but they should freeze his assets if they haven't done that yet.

You're kidding right? He is in the top 5 of the latest "let em eat cake" corporate/politicians that need to go the general population in Rikers, in front of Blagoyevich but behind Bush. It'll never happen, but its good to dream sometimes.

Is this a trick question, Jack?

No he doesn't belong in jail......but I have a little extra room in my in my phirana tank!

Its simple Jack...Would YOU or I be in jail..? Absolutely, without a doubt..He should be. It makes one think that there is more to this than meets the eye...These times have turned us all into cynics, and that is sad..

They sent Martha Stewart to jail for telling her friends and family to sell stocks. and Madoff is still sitting in his penthouse. there are people in jail for lesser crimes that will stay incarcerated for years and years, and Madoff is still sitting in his penthouse. there is something wrong here.

Yes he does. Unfortunately, a first offender convicted of burglarizing a home would most assuredly be sentenced to a longer term of incarceration than Madoff will. If justice is served, Madoff will be close friends with Bubba, the son of Bubba, and several generations of Bubbas to come.

Madoff should remain under house arrest-in Gaza.

Yes. Legal responsibility needs to be redistributed upwards to the wealthy class in the USA, they are not getting their fair share of legal consequences. But we already knew that.

Madoff made off with many people's fortunes. I would think a punishment is in order like jail.

He needs to be drawn and quartered! He is probably being kept out of jail for a reason. Maybe so he will hang himself( and anyone else involved) a little more. Drawn and quartered? Hanged? Even those aren't enough to make up for what he did to people! Disgusting.

Yes----and the fact that he is not in jail proves that there are more than one standard of law in this country like have-nots vs have-tomuch famous vs unkown politian vs all the rest of us.

No, bail is designed to prevent flight risk and danger to the public-not revenge. I must admit a wish/fantasy of a squirrel crawling up Madoff's pant leg. But alas, the poor animal would go hungry as Madoff's conduct is sociopathic, not any indicator of "stones".

According to most news reports and programs like 60 Minutes most of your Country's richest people are criminals. All the executives of the Financial Institutions are likely guilty of fraud and market manipultion with oil futures for one example.

The only difference between Madoff and them is Bernie got caught because his crime was against mostly rich people and the other criminals crimes were against mostly the common person.

In short why should Madoff go to jail while these other crooks are not even being investigated for crimes that may end up destroying your entire country. Then you also have the Bush gang who will also go unpunished for their activities.

He should be in jail, Jack. It highlights the on-going double standard between "white collar (extremely wealthy ones, anyway) criminals" and the rest of the criminals. It appears he was trying to hide assets by sending items to friends & family after stealing so much from others. Confining him to "house arrest" in a luxury penthouse just does not seem right and allows him to continue to try to protect more assets. I do not understand this judge's actions.

He's getting the same rights as other accused offenders to be out on bail until proven guilty. Those who end up in Rikers are either flight risks, or can't make bail. Het, even Blago is still governor, so why not?

They need to lock him up in a cell, and throw away the cell!

No, Jack. That's too good for him. He belongs up UNDER the jail.

Myrtle.

ABSOLUTELY!!!

Of course he belongs in jail, he admitted his actions and for him to have the gall to send jewerly to family and friends is absurd, it belongs to the people he swindled. The action of the court and Judge are unforgivible, I hope they can all sleep at night, on the other hand i hope they can't sleep at night.

At the risk of sounding trite – jail is too good for him. But it will suffice in the interim, until he goes to hell.

Jack;
Yes Madoff needs to be in jail, just like every other thief and con artist is. But the very fact that he is not shows that another village is missing it's idiot and they rewarded him by making him a judge! The very best that money can buy....go figure!

he should be tied in a room and everyone who he stole from should get five minutes alone with him, no questions asked.

Anyone else would have been in jail all along. I guess the judge didn't lose any money with Madoff and he doesn't give a damn about the people who did.
Only the crooks in New York City seem to be able to get away with this kind of stuff.

Jack, where he belongs, I'm too good of a Christian to tell you. But
he won't need no coat there, just a good fan.

Yesssssss. If peanut and ice slim hit up 7 -11 for $80.00 with a gun they go to jail for a long time....No mercy for him...Put his @#$ in jail!

Jack, the easy and obvious answer is of course yes. However, I've got an even larger question. Why isn't this whole present White House administration, the entire Congress and all those corporate greedy Wall Street CEO's rotting in jail right now along with him? Jefferson instructed us right in the Declaration of Independence to abolish the government he started as soon as it no longer served the people. He knew this day was coming and it's here.

Absolutely. He's made so many people miserable and has lived his lies for so many years that he really needs to sit in one of those nasty cells and reflect on his misdeeds for awhile. What he's done is obscene and there's really no other punishment for him. What are they going to do, fine him? There's not a big enough number.

Ask Martha Stewart.

Audrey
Van. Island

Yes – how about OJ as his cellmate...

Does a bear s__t in the woods? Is a pigs a__ pork? The idiot of a judge in New York today belongs in jail with him, what was the jerk thinking? There are probably a million inmates in the U.S. that are there for stealing less than 5 thousand dollars and this worthless jerk stole billions. Not to mention that there have been two suicides because they lost their entire life savings and this worthless piece of garbage is living in a 7 million dollar penthouse.

Jack

I believe he is probably paying the judge to keep out of jail. What kind of justice do we have when someone like him did what he did and he is not put in jail. This is what when people say it is in who you know to get away with things

Hi Jake, It seems like the more money you steal the less likely it is that you are going to jail.You rob a piggy bank you go to jail,You Rob Billions to get to stay home and live it up.Go figure.

Kelley in Sacramento,Ca

Yes Jack send him to jail in the big apple no protection. Let him roam around the tombs like the normal folks. That would be one heck of a wake up call.

Hell yes he belongs in jail; but there's a different set of rules for the rich. I wonder if he mail any jewelry to the judge.

Yes, he belongs in jail, why the special treatment? I want to know why a criminal with money(stolen money) is free to live in his 7 million dollar penthouse, he belongs in jail with the other thugs and crooks.

Never ever steal $100...if you are going to steal ,make it at least a billion.....it makes the difference between jail time and negotiating....

Yes.

YES! Is Gitmo still taking prisoners????

Any of these greedy Wall Street types that are found guilty of ripping off people should only get a short sentence in jail and the hammer should be; they work to pay back the people they ripped off leaving only enough for them to survive on until everyone is paid back. Wonder how many would be so eager to become rip-off artists with penalties like that?

He should have been held without bond in the first place!

Ed
Woodbridge,Va.

Yes, Mr. Madoff belongs in jail while he is awaiting trial, but it would cost the public more to house and feed him in jail than allowing him to remain under house arrest. I think his assets should be frozen and his access to any money should be stopped if they haven't been already. He nor his family should be able to buy anything except necessities so that if he is convicted, whatever he still 'owns' can be sold to help pay the cost of his trial and pay his investors.

Jack,

With all the money this clown has I say lock him up before he moves out of the country and he buys his own country declaring himself an untouchable dictator.

No...he belongs naked, tar and feathered with a scarlet letter branded on his butt standing at a soup kitchen feeding the poor until they carry him out and plant him somewhere to push up daisies.

Send Madoff to Bush's ranch in Crawford Texas, and while you are at it send the Gitmo detainees there too.

Jail is too good for this swindler! I bet a public hanging of this guy would deter other such large scale ripoffs from happening again. I'd be curious to know how many people suffered physical harm indirectly from this scam, such as not being able to afford an operation, or not being able to pay their health insurance or having a heart attack as a result of this man's greed! This guy being out of jail shows there are two kinds of justice in America, one for the rich and one for the poor.

Of course this man should be in jail. The only people who don't think he should be in jail are the professionals managing his case. What is wrong with the prosecutors and how Judge Ellis being paid? Swiss bank account, or maybe the Hope diamond? If it were you or me, we would be in jail. It just goes to show you that justice can be bought and paid for in this country.

Jack enough with the Martha Stewart justice! America should make Madoff do a David Blaine past experiment. Put Madoff on a 3 story pillar just wide enough for his two feet to stand. Make this display visible on Wall Street for all to see his fait if they dare to pull this stunt. The key for this experiment to to work is if all money is returned he comes down, if not, well Madoff meets his maker on his own doing!

Hi Jack, He should be in jail, How many other valuables and money have been moved without the authorities knowledge, The people that have been swindled should be having the judge that made this decision investigated,. So much for the equal rights under the law!

Absolutly! And while your at it, go ahead and throw away the key! This man took scammed charities. The one thing he has done worse than that is try to squeeze his assets out the door so they couldn't seize them and give it back to the people he stole it from. He has no interest in redeeming himself. He is a criminal, why not put criminals where they belong?

He does belong in jail, right alongside that judge of his!

A judge granted him bail. Did he violate the conditions of his bail? If so, he needs to be in jail.

Rich Green
San Clemente,Cal.

Yes, Bernie Madoff should be in jail! I suggest the luxury accommodations at Guantanamo Bay for his stay- along with Bush, Cheney, Paulson, and all of their cronies!

Of cource, he scammed many innocent people out of thier money that they worked hard for and scammed many charity too. No millions of people wont get the help they need. That dirty scumbag should go to jail.

Also, Wolf is an excellent dancer

Jack,
He belongs in Hell. Once there, Satan can offer him a deal he can't refuse.

He absolutely should be in jail. This is a classic example of elitist judicial politics which favor the wealthy. The man openly admitted to being one of world's biggest thieves. He should be rotting in jail while all of his assets are divided among his victims.

-Joshua Stevens
Rapid City, SD

So we can pay for his food & care? No. Instead, rip out his phone, computer, TV, radio, etc. access. Then, let him have a round-the clock rotating guard of four of New York's finest, their needs met via his carte blanche.

Absolutely. As a matter of fact he should have George Bush as a cell mate since Bush tried to pull off the biggest fraud on the American people of all time by telling us all that he would be a great president. On top of that Bush has wasted more than $ 50 B in taxpayer money several times and still insists he's a fiscal conservative. If Bush went on trial for being a fraud the death sentence for him would be to nice to him – I would prefer he got water boarding administered by Dick Cheney as Cheney kept repeating over and over to Bush that it isn't toeture it just is a good way to get a drink quickly when you are very thirsty.Just think only a few more days of the worst president in American history!

Just because a rich guy can afford to post whatever bail is set, it doesn't mean it should be granted. Madoff is a flight risk. If you or I did this, we would be put behind bars until trial.
Our Justice system is pretty good in some ways but also has things that need to be fixed. Catering to rich felons is one of them.

Everyday our country gets more ridiculous. It is mind boggling to me that a man who has destroyed so many lives can live in the utmost comfort. People have lost everything and he's sitting in a 7 million penthouse and writing checks for millions to his friends. What kind of a legal system have we got now? It's just another example of the inequities between the rich and the average American. I'm just waiting for the day when Americans have had enough. Our country needs a serious reset.

YES! YES! YES! This guy has the resources to flee the country and the where with all to hide or transfer his assests.

I don't know. Depends on how soft the hands are and how fat the ankles are. Weren't they all planning on making off with worker's money? Perhaps ankles CAN fly. You never know, you know?

Andy of Sierra Vista, Arizona

Wolf Has Some Moves, Really...How About You? Ellen, I'm Sure Would LOVE To Have You As A Guest!

If that was a little person like me, they would put me in jail and throw away the key. I guess having money just says it all. Or better yet how much cash and who did he pay to keep the in the style he has grown accoustom to.

Milwaukee, WI

I hate to be a class warrior, but it's not the least bit surprising that someone of such wealth, imbezzled or otherwise, gets to stay in his posh multi-million dollar home awaiting trial while some poor shmuck who allegedly commits much more minor crimes would get no bail. Not only should Madoff be in jail, his home should be converted into a homeless shelter just to stick in his craw.

Jack,

ABsOLUTELY NOT!!!! Bernie Madoff and his family should be living in a cardboard box on the street. He seems uninterested in the fact some of his investors may end with this scenario!!!

EVERY ONE of his assets should be surrendered and distributed to his investors. As with the IRS rules….all the assets he has attempted to hide over the years should be subject to this cache. This way any friend or relative trying to hide his money will have to release it.

I guess this sounds sort of rash, but if CEO’s and financial executives, such as Madoff, are held to this kind of harsh responsibility; you will see NO MORE FUNNY BUSINESS.

Jack, don't you understand our justice system? "White Collar" criminals rip-off billions and are allowed out on bail. They hire a high-powered team of attorneys using the money they stole, hide the rest of it in off-shore accounts, drag the trial on for years all the while spending the money they stole, and if, finally, they go to jail, they go to some minimum security spa and we all pay for it.
Tim in Texas

Can we get him a nice cell with an ocean view at Guantanamo? This guy is worse than a terrorist.

Shoplift and you go to jail. Steal $50 Billion and ruin countless lives and you have to stay in your luxury penthouse. I say lock him up! And while your at it, round up some of his buddys to keep him company.

Ken, Twin Falls, Idaho

He should have never been given bail in the first place. Anyone who steals a billion dollars should be eligible for capital punishment. Madoff is a perfect example why we should bring back the guillotine.

Jack,
This is another example of how corrupt our legal system is. It is still based on money instead of justice. I believe statistically there are far more poor people jailed then rich. If he wasn't a wealthy man he would have ready been jailed. His actions are responsible for at least two suicides that we know of because of the trust people put in him. What about his liability in that. Even if he is convicted he'll be sent to a country club to do his time. So just because he has committed a so call white collar crime he will still live a good life while others without his resources and even innocent of what they are chrged with will be delegated to a awful life in the penal system.

You've asked sillier questions before, Jack... Of course he does.. and in the same cell block with Bush, Rumsfeld, Cheney, and anyone remotely associated with the banking system. I will even provide free tattoos so that they don't stand out too much from their new "inner circle."

If I'd "Made Off" with a fraction of that money, I'd also rot in jail. I suspect before Bernie see' the inside of a Jail Sell, he will have "Made Off" again and skipped the country. With a name like “Made Off” and yes, I know it’s spelled differently, how could his victims not see this coming?

This is why revolutions are started. Simple because the rich bums can get away with it and they are protected by other rich bums. We keep asking why are these bums not in jail today. NOW... there is a question I'd like to see the answer to.

He needs to be UNDER the Jail. The only one that doesn't see the evil of his ways, is the paid off judge and magistrate. Maybe if ole "Bernie the Banker" had robbed them, they wouldn't have a problem serving justice.

Once again the rich and famous are judged by a different set of laws.

He should be jailed immediately. With the hundreds of millions he has hidden, I suspect he could afford to bribe the coroner, buy a John Doe cadaver, claim a heart attack, hurry up &cremate the John Doe cadaver and sneak off to some off shore island with his millions and have cocktails with Kenney boy Lay of Enron fame.
Lock him up !

sick ... just sick

Yes Jack not only does the greedy pig Madoff deserve jail but his family who aided and abetted him should be thrown in jail too.

If it was me I would have been there immediately.....it's all about who you know.

He should be locked upa nd treated like the trash he is!!!

Amen Jack! You know if he went to jail he would be released due to "overcrowding"!

He does not belong in Jail. He belongs on a stage next to a sharpened Guillotine awaiting his turn!

simply said...if he stole that much money he needs to be in prision. end of story.

Of course he does!!!

NO, he belongs UNDER it!

There is no question that he belongs in jail with all the other criminals.

Make him sec. of the treas.

Hell yes.

Chris Calgary AB.

He belongs up the judge's ass while they both burn in hell.

Hey Jack.........Would I be in jail if I'd gone into a rich guy's house and robbed him of 50 BILLION???????????

Personally I do not feel being jailed or holding house arrest makes any difference, he faces a 20+ year sentence for his crime, like you said, "only in America".

Jack,

Does the sun rise in the morning?

That man should be thrown in jail IMMEDIATELY!! What the hell is wrong with that judge? Did he do well investing with Madoff maybe? What a crock. This gets worse and worse. It shows that being a crook pays off IF you are of a certain low but rich class. What slime these people are.

It's simple....You damn right!

Put him in JAIL. Why is he allowed to stay at home after violating the terms of his bail anyway? He's a flight risk. Put him in jail.

Does Bernie Madoff belong in jail? Of course not Jack, he's not black.

Uh...you THINK?! Of course he does!

YES

Jack it would appear that crime really does pay. The next time you hear someone say that Justice is Blind....tell them.....you got that right....

Madoff belongs in a coffin..... after his trial of course.

Hmm..... do the words FLIGHT RISK mean anything to anyone????

Jack, welcome to WHITE collar crimes.

The man shows no remorse. Let's forget about jail for a moment and just acknowledge his lack in remorse or regrets. He shows little to no emotion for what he has done, and that disturbs me, it should disturb others too.

This guy deserves to be buried in an unmarked grave.

No he does not belong in Jail! He belongs underneath the jail.

If this guy has any real sense he will jump bail and go some where his money can really protect him. OH WELL! maybe he is already there.

of course he belongs in jail! his victims worry about having a home, and he's allowed to stay in his 7 million dollar apartment?

What can I say? Judges don't get paid and he's got cash out of orifices that will remain unnamed. Money is power, isn't it?

Jack -
Yes! Put him in the trick box as he has done to others.
An injustice to one is an Injustice to others.
Steve

Madoff belongs under the jail ... but I guess in the jail would much better than in his penthouse.

Much as I hate to admit it, "presumption of innocence" applies even to him. No matter how sure we are he is guilty, he has the right to all the protection the law offers. Damn it!

Jack,
I completely agree! You have petty drug dealers behind bars before you can bat an eye and someone who has added to the financial crisis out scott free...I personally got hit in the crisis and find it insulting that our courts do not see it that way...aren't they supposed to be watching out for us?

If stashing jewelry with relatives isn't a flight risk, I'm not sure what is. Tell me, when he's got his feet up on the coffee table watching Martha Stewart reruns, does he have an ankle bracelet on?

Isn't this what guantanamo was built for??

It has always been that if you steal enough you will not have to worry about the law. MONEY talks.

Yes, Madoff should be in jail, in the meanest cell on Riker's Island and eating moldy bread and tapwater with photos of his charity victims taped to his cell walls.

He belongs in the deepest, darkest, dankest cell in the New York system.

Only if the auditors from the SEC have adjoining cells...

Most definately!!! But, I recommend we convince the Turks or perhaps the Columbians that Madoff also took money from some of their investors. After all, these countries have state of the art prisions with a bucket in the corner and no windows.

Of course he should be behind bars awaiting
his trial. If he's contemplating suicide, there's
a less likely chance he can pull it off in jail.

Jay in Calgary Canada.

Madoff should NOT be in jail ... he should be shot, with a rusty bullet.

This is another example of how "demented" this country of ours has become. Think about the little guy, including me, stripped out of our familys life savings. Life stops there, right!
This guy should be in prision, and then hung by the balls in public, just like the old days in Salem,Mass..

Yes, he deserves to feel the cold hard bunk in a jail cell. He smirks and mails expensive gifts to family and friends before the feds take them away. They say 1 in 25 is a psychopath and he looks like one to me.

No. he deserves to be on house arrest in a box on the side of the road.

Tom
Naperville, Il

a thief is a thief.
madoff belongs in jail!

JAIL
and the Judge should join him

In short, yes he should be in jail until his trial. Here's the thing though, he doesn't deserve a trial. He should be put in front of a firing squad made up of his victims.

"The best justice money can buy!"

Regards, George
Bellingham, Washington (the state)

I happen to be an alumni of Yeshiva University. As far as I am concerned, not only does Mr. Madoff belong in jail, but I am willing to hide the key so that he can never get out,

The rich use different scales of justice–one for the rich and one for the middle class. Madoff worried about jewelry and no remorse for those who took their life. sad pray for this man.

This bum is an accomplice to murder.He's directly responsible for two suicides(so far).He (Madoff) must have incriminating photos of the judge.

Well, even jail would be much nicer than my original thought having to do with bubbling oil, a winch and a slow mo Bernie drop.....

Either he belongs IN jail, or a whole lot of swindlers who are jailed belong OUT of jail! Is there some "status" to having pulled off such an effected scam? How about we let our most notorious criminals exchange places with him, in exchange for their cooperation in revealing how they pulled off THEIR crimes?

That's a joke isn't it? Why should he go to jail? Who did he hurt? After all, it;s not like he is Ramos and Campion........

You forget Jack, this is the land of the free..innocent until proven guilty.

Put in jail until his trial? He oughtt to be hung upside down by his jewels. No wonder the world thinks of us what it does.

Madoff made $50 billion disappear and got arrested with posh bail. Bush just made $350 billion disappear and he gets a library. It's all bad.

Duh. He is a flight risk and then there is no chance of getting back any of the money he stole. And in the same jail cell; should be the government officials who were told of this scam years ago.

YES!! He belongs in jail. Maybe he should do time at Gitmo.

Madoff is further proof of the adage, "You're innocent till proved broke."

Susan Pepperdine
Fairway, Kan.

Is this a rhetorical question? Steal a pack of cigarettes from 7-11 and get shot, got to jail for 6mo. Steal 50 billion dollars and chill in your crib. You gotta love the paradox.

Jack,
Are you serious, I dont think that he belong in jail, I will settle for putting him UNDER the jail. Indeed $50 billion might not seem like a lot, especially to our friends on Wall street, or in the car Industry, but he has done irreparable harm to many, justice waived inveitably is justice denied, at least for those who were taken.

I say yes ! absolutely. If Americans can go to jail for the simple possession of marijuana, why should he be free after stealing millions of dollars? Wealth should never put you above the law!

Jack-
You wanted "Snarky"?

Simple answer: DUH!

Enjoy all of CNN immensely-
Craig Foster
Delaware, OH

Jail? Are you serious? That would be too good for a maggot like Madgoff. He should be shipped to a deserted island or to the moon where he'll have to fend for himself just like his victums are now going to have to do.

Who's pocket is the judge in? Makes you wonder why you get thrown into general lockup for a half ounce of pot, he steals the world and walks. There should be a protest in Manhatten.

Why hasn't his penthouse been confiscated by the feds? It's obvious he purchased it with stolen money....vehicles and homes of us lesser mortals are taken with no chance of recovery....why not Bernie?

No doubt! This judgement is awfully misguided. Makes one wonder if the "Judge" had help from Matoff or a friend in getting his appointment! If not, he's just gotta be stupid!

Look... Madoff is guilty as sin, and I know nobody who would disagree with that. However, he does have a right to due process and denying bail is (or at least should be) reserved for suspects or offenders who are at risk of fleeing the country or reoffending. Somehow I doubt Madoff would be able to find $50 billion or flee the country considering he's already admitted to his crime. In short, no he shouldn't, not until he is duly convicted and sentenced.

I believe that Madoff should be in jail however since his arrest and subsequest post of bail, he is free until trial date. The damage that one man has done both to his company, his investors, colleagues and the general honesty in the markets is beyond substantial. Allowing him to serve time in jail now would push him to plea honestly rather than plea not guilty and await the trial decision in front of a non-partial jury. Not so long ago the CEO of Enron during the trial process died of a heart attack. There is nothing to say that Madoff won't consider an extreme method such as suicide as his investor has also done. Allowing him to serve would show him the harshness of his decisions and the severity his decisions have caused on m(b)illions.

You better believe he should be in jail! And ALL assets, including the penthouse, SEIZED! Good grief...even the IRS seizes assets faster! I say jail time until the trial...ESPECIALLY since he tried to hide his remaining assets!

Yes

Absolutely! He should have gone to jail in the beginning. This really pisses me off!!!!

Atlanta, Georgia

He deserves to be on a cold concrete slab, maybe one thin sheet and sand paper for his daily oblutions....some poor guy in Alabama would get 35 years for stealing a loaf of bread and this slime is still warm and cozy penthouse.....as you say, only in America. And then with pleas bargaining, he will get a slap on the wrist.. Maybe a neighbor of O.J. could be a fun time for both.

In a just world, Madoff would be tarred and feathered and set out on a flaming raft

Jack, how many rich people do we put in jail? Simply put, they are above the law. That is what our country has become. Sad isn't it?

Madoff belong in jail ? He belongs in front of a firing sqad, with his victims holding the riffle !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

OF course he belongs in a jail cell. JUst because someone has enough money to just waste while the rest of the economy suffers, does not mean that he can just bask in the comfort of his home. what should be done, his 7 million dollar penthouse should be sold. All the people that he stole from get double their money back and the rest get out to boost businesses that really need it.

Yes, indeed, Madoff does belong in jail! Furthermore, I think that he should go to a real prison instead of one of the "country club" types, and should be housed among the "real" criminals. Probably a lot of those are in prison for things far less odious that Madoff's crime.

jack,

as long as bernie madoff has access to a telephone his crime spree will continue.

as with ivan boesky and michael milliken, bernie madoff will never be tried for all the crimes he has committed.

bernie will only reveal a small fraction of his criminal enterprise.

and don't think bernie madoff acted alone...

Some may argue murderer's get bail in some cases, so why not this guy?? But Seriously folks what else would you expect with our justice system ,this is America and here justice is still obviously blind.

Jack, in some countries he would have been executed by now. $50B is 50X greater then some countries' annual net worth......

SEND BERNIE TO JAIL NOW, come on, really, house arrest? That's a joke right? How about they give him house arrest in one of the houses of the people he robbed blind so they can have a chance to have a one on one "talk" with him. That sounds like a bit of justice to me.

This is a no brainer. The wealthy thieves always win the game.

In your words, "he should rot in jail at Riker's Island" like the rest of the criminals. Crime is crime and one crime is not better than the other. His possessions should be siezed, tallied and distributed to all of the people victimized by his lies and stealing. By right, his possessions belong to them.

Yes, he belongs in jail! I bet if I stole $50 billion I'd be in jail! That's the worst financial crime ever so we're told. Others who stole less have gone to prison. It's not even a question of whether or not he's guilty. He should not be given any preferential treatment just because he didn't kill anyone. He's ruined lives. That should count for something. I think the judge is not a very good one.

Are you kidding? Of course he belongs in jail. It's just too bad the Abu Ghraib prison has been closed.

I haven't heard Madoff offer any apologies. I haven't heard Madoff say he will give back to those he has stolen from. Contrition doesn't seem to be part of his makeup. Not only should Madoff be in jail...the judge who has decided he should not be in jail should be thrown off the bench.

The Madoff mess proves that Lady Justice is neither blind nor holds
truly weighted scales.

This crook makes life miserable for all of the wonderful, responsible Jews in America. He should rot in jail until his trial then rot in prison for the remainder of his life. He is already responsible for the deaths of several individuals and for the deaths of the many charities he defrauded. A public hanging would be in order.

Jack,

Only in America would this question even need to be asked. Even the Swiss jail financial ripoff artists. At least his name matches the crime. He Madoff with 50 billion.

Of course he does, he deserves to share a cell with Bush and Cheney in general population!

Only if the SEC auditors have adjoining cells!

Hi Jack,
I think that many in the investment-financial world don't think Madoff did anything all that bad.
So it seems likely the prosecutor would want want to make an example of the man that made off with $50B. Placing him under house arrest in his huge mansion should put fear in the hearts of other such offenders!
Dicky Neely
Corpus Christi, Tx.

The opurpose opf incarceration prior to trial is to prevent flight. It is not to be used as punishment before one is found guilty and sentenced. Shame on you Cafferty, you know better than to rabble rouse with this kind of question.

i think it depends on how long it is till his trial. hopefully its not too long of a wait because these victims need answers

Yes he deserves to go to jail! I hope he burns in hell.

Leave him in the penthouse...and release the dope sellers.
In this world they're certainly doing more good than him.

Jackson Russell
Huntsville, AL

Not only should this man be in jail till trial, his 7 million dollar penthouse and its contents should be foreclosed or sold, and the proceeds sent to the people he scammed.

Of course he does. I wonder how much that judge is making by letting Madoff run free. I wouldn't be surprised if that greedy old mule doesn't spend a single minute in jail. The American judicial system is at work once again!

No he doesnt belong in jail.He belongs in hell

Drag him out of the 7 mil penthouse. Put him in jail cell with Michael Vick and ten hungry pit bulls.

Of course he does! Consider it a practice run until he is proven guilty.

Hmmm, it's a tough one! I guess if it was a poor black man who stole something from a supermarket he would aslo be enjoying house arrest in a million dollar home. This is total bs, who's the judge? Madoff's wife?

Bail is not about what the person is accused of doing, it is about what they might continue to do. A dope dealer can probably keep selling dope on bail, but if anyone invests any more money with bernie while he is out on bail, they probably deserve to lose it. Hence, house arrest.

Once he is convicted, Bernie Madoff should serve at least 25 years in prison. However (and this is unfortunate), he is still not guilty until a jury says so and therefore should be jailed only if he is a threat to others or a flight risk. I DO regret that he is spending his current time in Park Avenue luxury and not some hovel, but that is the law.

i believe he is a true definition of a criminal. And rather unfortunately he is giving away with the proceeds of the crime due to a loop in the judicial system.

From this day forward, everytime I hear a politician say "we live in the greatest country in the world", I will think of the great justice system that allows Madoff to "rot" in his $7m dollar penthouse.

Face the facts, people, the USA truly operates under a modern day caste system.

Bernie Madoff should be in jail. Who is to prevent him from committing suicide and never having to face the jail sentence that he deserves.

I can't believe the judge allowed him to continue house arrest. The judge should be removed from the bench. I guess things are different for the rich!

Sounds like to me that the Judge must have been one of those CHECKS that he made for Millions....I jail..oh hell yes....and don't open it up until his trial...

Yes he belongs in jail. He stole from many and possibly caused the suicide of another. We put people in jail in this country for shoplifting or for writing a bad check. Why is he handled with kid gloves?

Jack this shouldn't even be a question. I agree with you that drug offenders get life in prison and have to wait in a cell for thier trial. Let's see how long this "yahoo" spends locked away while his victims continue to struggle day in and day out.

Hey I don't mind if Madoff stays in his $7 million penthouse, as long as his victims get to camp out with him...then let justice take its course!

Jail? He should get hand-me down cloths and get to serve his time in a homeless shelter. Maybe he can ask his victimshow their doing while he's waiting in line with them

So everything that this guy owns, sits on, eats out of, is at the expense of all the victims he swindled . Drug dealers are often remanded without bail because they cannot use their drug funds as bond.
What is the difference here...oh yeh lots of money and connections !
One law for regular joe and one for...

He absolutely does belong in jail, if not prison, right now. He has done way more damage to all those people who believed in him than someone who smuggles in a few bags of marijuana. Many more people are suffering because of him. The only reason, I believe, he is not in jail now is because of his "elite status" . Any Joe Bloe who would have swindled even a couple thousand dollars would be sitting in jail. Like you said Jack, only in America.

Jack, this may be one of those situations where Madoff belongs under the jail. His assets should be seized and held and released only if he is aquitted. Like so many other incidents in our judicial system, his wealth is creating an unfair response in his favor (say only OJ or Michael Jackson as further evidence). You or I, Jack, would have no such consideration. We would be wearing a colorful jumpsuit and voiding our bowels in public.

Shame on our justice system. I thought all people were supposed to be equal under the law.

Of course he belongs in jail! That should not even be a question. few years ago I sat in jail from Friday to Monday for stealing a candy bar from Wal-Mart. And Walmart is evil as heck. He gets away with robbing good people and charities and now he gets to sit in a mansion and live the life. I say we throw him in a cell with a huge guy named Tiny and let nature take its course....

My grandfather who died in l932 jokingly told us that if you are going to steal something, steal a lot because people who steal a little go to jail, people who steal a lot do not. It must have been true in his time too.

Becky
Murfreesboro, TN

Heck yeah Madoff belongs in jail.....as do the CEO's of the auto industry and the other CEO's who play golf all day while there employees are losing there jobs and struggling to pay there bills.

The man needs to be locked up! He does not show any remorse for all the pain he has caused many people. Not only him, many more in high places. God help this country concerning honesty.

don't send to him to jail
release on the street
he'll get his due

hello jack!

I love your show, are you surprise corrupted polition does not put corrupted in jail because they are buddies, we should chage the justice system to work for poor and rich the same.

living to see that day!!

Absolutely! His swindling billions of dollars from charities and institutions of higher learning is no less heinous than the acts of murderers and rapists. This man should be made an example for all the greedy folks that have gotten our country into a financial mess.

there is no question this man should be in jail now, and once convicted, in jail for the rest of his life. While this is happening, his assets should be reviewed for future disbursement to his victims, NOT his legal defense. This man is clearly a criminal and your comparison to drug dealers is right on mark!

Madoff should have been jailed from day 1; also the regulators who were supposed to be overseeing these kinds of things. We have two border agents in jail for doing their job; what kind of justice is this?

No Jack, he shouldn't. Bail is about threat to the community and risk of flight. You are not guilty until proven so by a trial and bail was never meant to be part of the punishment. Mob rule hasn't taken over yet I hope.

Steve Lightner
Camino, CA

I'm not so sure he belongs in jail. Perhaps, dealing with his reality in jail would would be less intense than his stirring about and worrying at home. Sometimes the anticipation of something difficult is only enforced, when surrounded by your normal, comfortable surroundings.

Yes, because although he may not be a flight risk, the wealth he unlawfully accumulated and that which belongs to his "victims" are at risk of being unlawfully distributed to Madoff's family, friends or partners in crime yet to be identified.

Madoff should be in jail, and his phone calls monitored.

Yes in a cell with the judge who released him and a few dozen accused
murderers. Maybe we should start outsourcing criminals like Madoff to
China. Might be a good deterrent.

YES.
If I don't license my car, I serve jail time.
If I don't declare something on my taxes, I serve jail time.
If I steal millions of Dollars...I get to hang out at home?
Right

Go Directly To Jail, Do NOT Pass Go, Do Not Collect Anything. If he smells like a crook, and walks, and acts like a crook. That's right! He's a Crook.

Jack, Jack......JACK!
Snarkity, SNARKITY answers??? I could never get as Snarkity as You Jack, you are the KING of Snarkity, you are the SNARKITEST...LOL Only kidding Jack.
Madoff, yeah, rot in Hell, yet he is allowed to post bail. What can we do?
Have a great day Snarkity-Jack
Sabin, Long Beach, CA.

Jail....heck no!

Madhoff should be allowed a "farewell tour". Say a night with each of the people he's swindled? Wonder how the food would be?

If the Judge has no sense of fairness in this despicable crime among many in the financial sector, maybe the American People should and charge the SOB rent for that $7 million pad.

This man, who remains smug and almost laughing at the public for all that he has gotten away with, deserves to be placed in Rikers Island immediately. My own question is what is his relationship with the judge who is making the decision to let him remain in his multi-million dollar penthouse. I think it is incredible that he has been allowed to stay free and almost succeed with disbursing his assets to his relatives. This man has destroyed so many people and institutions that it should be compared to 1st degree murder.
I live in Ossining, NY.

Your Damn right he does! Seems as if petty, easy to prosecute crimes are what keeps this criminal justice system going.

Yes, he should be in jail and the Judge that decided otherwise should be tested for Alzheimer's Disease, for his mind is muddled and he does not appear to be capable of making prudent decisions.

You bet your ass he does!

You know the old saying, "You do the crime you do the time". He should be in jail. He is no better than any other person in this country.

The guys name is Made Off, he made off with $50 billion and now is making off with our judicial system. What does a white guy have to do to go to jail?

Yes Benard Madoff deserves to be in jail!!!!!!! just because you have millions if not billions you're still human and you go to the bathroom just like the next man! It's funny how people with money think they're above the law CROOK!

Jack:
I respect you and your comments. Of course, he should be in jail. We as citizens should be more worried about our own so-called Democracy instead of spreading it all over the world - we better start in our own backyard.

Perhaps Mr. Madoff could caddy at one of those exclusive country clubs where many of his clients belong, This way he could end up in the green –with a nine iron embedded in his skull– saving us all the cost of a trial.

Jack, that is a tough question. Innocent until Proven Guilty .. or Guilty until proven innocent? Are we to make mockery of the judicial system as we did with O.J. Simpson? Will the taxpayers now have to pay through the nose for a trial?

I think that if they put Martha Stewart in jail, then certainly Madoff belongs there too since his actions caused people to take their lives.
Judy in Texas

I think he just needs a good hug and someone to listen to him...the poor guy's been through a lot lately...so much that he's become generous (in the order of millions of dollars in gifts) to friends and family because he's worried they'll stop loving him. Maybe slap an ankle bracelet GPS tracker on him and make him live with Martha Stewart until his trial...by then he'll be ready to confess to everything including killing Jimmy Hoffa.

Jack,
Snark, Snark, here goes; if it was you or me we would sitting in a cell
and we would have to put up with it, however, when you are a so called big shot you can enjoy the perks that you have whether you
earned them or stole them. Its a sad commentary on some of the
goings on in this country, what a lesson for our kids and grandkids
to learn, this Magistrate should be ASHAMED of himself?? Maybe his
SUPERIORS should look into this decision and some of his past
ones, maybe they should check him out??

Well jack, to put it lightly, YES!, this moron deserves nothing but a jail cell in his face, not a mansion. And when he does go to jail, i hope it's the worst feeling he ever gets in his miserable life.

Absolutely! Send him to Maricopa County, AZ and let Sheriff Joe Arpaio put him up in one of his tent cities in the desert. During the day, he can break rocks with a sledge hammer like all the other inmates, and at night he can lay awake worried about scorpions crawling into his sleeping bag!

Roland
St. George, UT

Send him to GitMo. A little water-boarding and "shock therapy" might loosen his lips regarding the details of his scam. Might provide a good example for other Wall Street "sleaze balls" too.

Mr. Cafferty – of COURSE he belongs in jail, but in this country there appears to be one rule for the rich, quite another for the poor – as you so rightly said, 'only in America'.

For the record, I'm a Brit.

Bernie is a 007 James Bond capitalist who got caught doing what's natural on Wall Street.
He should be set free just for alerting ordinary small investors about what's going on behind those executive office closed doors.
Rudy in Victoria, BC, Canada

Hi Jack-My fondest wish would be for Bernie to share a cell with Jeffrey Dahmer! Shame he's no longer with us!

Yes, he belongs in jail. But we should be being creative in another direction than today's judge. The jerk should be made to spend his time before trial in a foreclosed house in the poorest section of town. Let's just see how he enjoys being down and out as his victims must feel.

He needs to be in jail. And I think they need to investigate whether he should be brought up on involuntary manslaughter charges for the suicides that have occurred since this scandal broke.

America is the land where money trumps law. A country that calls 'Federal Reserve' an organization that is not 'federal' and has no 'reserves' of anything – just one big fat money printing machine. Whoever is in position to steal money and becomes famous. Well, unless you're a petty criminal – then you get punished.

not only in prison, but have his trial in front of his cell.

Yes. He needs to be in jail. To protect HIM from any harm. He needs to be kept alive to provide information on where all the money is so that the people who suffered will be able to recoup whatever they can

Jack,

According to me, he should be in jail right now. By the use of a scheme, to make himself rich at the loss of a lot of persons money, the thief should be hanged. He is like the pirates of Somali.

Bernie Madoff belongs in jail. A $7 million dollar plush pad is *NO place* for him to be while he thumbs his nose at Justice and his victims cry for help financially. If he has any good lawyer sense talking to him, it would be better to report to jail and stay there so he could get credit for time served like any other convicted person.
The judge who made that ruling, ought to look again in his mirror and see if he can live with his decision at the next election.

You're Damn skippy he should be in JAIL!

Well he should be in jail, but like you said "ONLY IN AMERICA"

he needs to be in jail and his cellmate–the judge for deriliction of duty!

I saw that Bernie still regrets not going to Stanford, can't get the prestige and recognition he so desires. I have an idea. Let's build a new cell for him in Time Square, maybe right under the now permanent New Year's ball. That way he get get all the recognition for his accomplishments that he so deserves from his public!!
Amy in Tucson AZ

Jack, Madoff deserves to be jail just like everyone else. He should not be given special treatment just because he is wealthier than everyone else. It is so sad that in this country, people like Madoff get only a slap on the wrist more often than in other countries. Perhaps the next administration should try to do something about that as well.

Simon
Fullerton, CA

Yes of course he should stay in jail. If the average person were to do something far less, he or she would never see the light of day!

well jack ,how many bedrooms does the penthouse have maybe some others that get house arrest can stay there to .really put him in a cheap hotel .

DAMN RIGHT! If I were one of his victims, believe me, he would want to be in jail!! I'm really surprised he isn't there for his own protection.
Lori
NC

He should have been in jail for weeks – - the bigger the crime (white collar) the less the time. He is a crook extrodinaire!

1

Of course he should be in Rikers along with the other criminals, but not in the least bit surprised he isn't.

What's up with the inventory of his possessions? Why aren't they impounded until the courts decide how to split up his assets? Clearly there are many assets. He was caught writing checks for millions of dollars to friends and family. Why aren't those accounts impounded too?

I am sure Madoff donated the max contributions allowed to every single politician and judge he could. I am not surprised some judge has him on house arrest rather than on Rikers Island.

It just proves that there is two sets of laws; one for the rich and the other for the rest of us. He belongs in hell!

Jack we have a saying among us poor people...money buys you freedom. You are not lying a young brother from Brooklyn like me wouldve been thrown in the hole in OBCC. Not only does Madoff belongs in jail, those corrupt judges and DA's from NYC need to go too..

Madoff absolutely belongs in jail for violating his bail provisions, and not Club Fed, but real prison. Maybe then he'll be eager to divulge the Swiss Bank account numbers, etc., where he has hidden billions, to return to his victims.

Absolutely. This pompous creep should be in solitary confinement until a court can put him behind bars for the rest of his miserable life.
He has ruined the lifes of so many decent people, especially people relying on the the generosity of others who have given selfishly to the charities he has now wreaked havok on. If there really is a true justice system he will not be seen of or heard from again.

Yes he belongs in jail, I'm positive if the judge would had lost his money he would be!!

Not only does Madoff belong in jail but the judge that allowed this man to remain free should be in there with him. The poweres that be should by all rights also freeze all properties and assests this poor excuse for a human has before it's gone.

Roy
Olympia, WA

Of course Madoff belongs in jail – when teenagers are tried as adults for stealing crappy '70s cars, they go to jail, so why not this old rich white guy? Oh, right, question answered.

Mr. Madoff should be locked up in the dungeon under the jail and put on a diet of bread and water until his trial!

I dont know, Jack. Sometimes Crimes are just too big. You wonder what to do and it just escapes you. Jail? Sure. Why not? But what can you possibly take from him? Sure money, sure everything he has. But he still got away with it in the first place. To punish someone like that you've got to be an animal. Not many of us are Jack. We could enslave him...have him one a chain cleaning out streets. Anything to put a smile on our faces, eh? Blasted economy.

Well there's your problem Jack, you seem to believe justice is equal for all. Having spent 3 1/2 months in jail myself, then having the prosecutor drop the case all over a "suspended drivers license" because I was homeless at the time and they thought I would flee, while a man who hurt countless pleople and has money stashed all over the place, gets to hang out in a place I can't even imagine. Do you still believe in justice for all, because I don't.

if he stole this money from investors is it income and why isn't the IRS looking into his taxes. he should be sentenced to clean toilets for life, of course in prison!

I don"t understand it. Only in America do we park in drive ways and drive on parkways. we call it rush hour and we go no where. To watch a sporting event we sit in the grand stands. And only in America can a man be just about dragged through the mud and about be thrown under the jail for fighting dogs( Micheal Vick). However, someone can "make off" with 50 billion and go home. What is wrong here? He too should have a spot under the jail. He ruined alot of lives.

Yes, Maybe Guantanimo. He is a financial terrorist of the worst kind. The prison hasn’t been closed yet and maybe there is room for him there.

Of course he belongs in jail.

I don't believe in the death penalty, but any other cruel punishment would be fine.

Bernie Mafdorf is not only a criminal who belongs in jail. But anyone who undermines the integrity and financial security of this country while we are at war should be guilty of treason.
Stamford, CT

He Should,
He stole from a lot of people, and for his own gain even.

Absolutely, if it were me or any other "Joe", we would be in Jail. Seems like Madoff still can pull strings... I wonder how much justice will prevail? The cynic in me says Bush will somehow pardon him this week!

If the law says he can stay free, then he should. If we make exceptions to the rules then are we really be better and more civilized then Madof who didn't follow the rules himself? Is that how we want to be? Come on people be better.

Of course he should be in jail right now! Who says money can't buy happiness?

Wow! An old high school friend of mine got five years in jail for selling 2 grams of marijuana to a friend and Bernard madoff gets to spend house arrest in his $7 million Manhattan penthouse? That is the definition of irony! I think Mr. Madoff should spend the rest of his days in Riker's Island with the other common criminals and should be forced to payback every single penny of the $51 billion he swindled out of all the charity organizations among many other people.
Craig Zolotorow Ellicott city Maryland

Jack,

Not only did Madoff and all the other Wall street crooks sell out their investors and companies but also the American people who have to pay to fix it. Who's ever prosecuting needs to find a way to bring "Capital" charges that way it never happens again.

Frank

Sutter Creek, CA

Madoff should be housed in one of those FEMA trailers without absolutely nothing and let him fend for himself.

Most definitely! What he has done to people who TRUSTed him and charities who TRUSTed him is unforgivable. How this man can sleep at night in is comfy $7M place is amazing...let alone eat, shower, etc. while those that invested with him aren't?? And sadly, what our country is allowing is getting more confusing and depressing. Isn't enough, enough?

Renee, Lakewood CO

He not only belongs in prison, he belongs in the deepest, darkest hole they can put him in. He should be eating gruel and drinking only water. His assets should be frozen and, if he is convicted, all sold at auction. Additionally, he needs to have a cellmate who is related to someone whose life he ruined. I am sure it would not be too diffiicult to find.

He should be forced to rely on public defenders because he has no money for a "legal team".

Of course he should be in jail. He violated the terms of his bail! Besides, he obviously still has the ego to believe he can get out of this and still keep his ill gotten gains. Spending some time in a cell might be a good dose of reality.

As a retired professor of mechanical engineering my ass would be thrown in jail in a micro second if I had swindled even one person out of even a small amount of money. Go figure.

Of course. There is a law that a person cannot profit from his/her crime. Being allowed to stay in his penthouse is not only profitting from his crime but U.S. Magistrate Ronald Ellis who said he could remain there is now an accomplice to that profiteering.

Jack, I find it ironic that Bernie has made a confession and we still have need to pretend he is some kind of saint..... Put him in Jail NOW! and Throw away the key before he dispenses the rest of the monies he stole............. Where is America Going anyway?

Justice can only be justice if it is the same for everyone. Where is the justice in the midst of this where some are punished more and others less. This isn't the concept upon which this nation was built, guidled by the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution.

No, Madoff need not go to jail at this time just because he is extremely unpopular. We are a nation of laws, not of men. He has not been convicted of anything yet, has not been deemed a flight risk, and is able to make bail. Like it or not, that is our system, and we are better off in the long run for it.

In this case, the Judge is no less a criminal than the accused. They should both rot in Gitmo for life, unless someone sees fit to do a little vigilante justice. And that person would probably become a national hero.

He should be in jail.

Unbelievable!!! Our government officials keep giving this guy a pass and he keeps committing his crime spree. He is proof positive if you have enough money, crime does pay.

Allison
Washington, DC

YES!!!!!!!

Since some of his investors have commited suicide does that make him a murderer?

Yah let him stay in there. He's an old man and this is the last few months of his free life. I'm sure he's spending the rest in jail.

Without a doubt.

We had a similar situation here in Charleston a couple years ago involving about 60 million dollars. The man accused was under house arrest until he was sentenced last summer to 20 years in federal prison. From that experience, it seems that the standard is to place these people under house arrest until sentenced, so to be consistent, Madoff should get the same treatment. I'm not saying it is right.

PS I'm not good at snarky answers!

Here's the counterintuitive thought. Take every person at the SEC who catastrophically failed in their oversight protection and fiduciary responsibility and put them in Jail cells. Then next time after a year of incarceration the individuals at the SEC will due their jobs more properly.
Mr. Maddoff as painful a position as this is -still is a man innocent until proven guilty or has our country become so accustomed to gaveling chair side punitive justice that we can decide without the facts.

No, he belongs in a pillory.

My guts tells me yes. and solitary confinement at that in a dark hole. however one should not go to jail until convicted and their guilt is proven. Even Madoff.

The fact that this is even a question Jack should wake up all americans that in fact corruption is not only Rampid, but pretty much expected. They should include the judge of this case in the Madoff investigation!

JacK: It goes to show how fair our justice system is in this country. You will definately stay out of jail once you have money. This is sickening!! The man is in a penthouse instead of a jail cell where he can hide his money by sending it to friends and family while his clients now struggle to put food on their table. This is really sickening. They need to check this judge to see how much he got paid by Madoff's people.. This is so disgusting that can't even watch it anymore.

Madoff does not belong in jail. American Justice requires that the rich be protected for the crimes, even when they negatively impact most Americans. There are many examples of this, for instance Enron comes to mind. On the other hand shop lifters, petty thieves and drug addicts should be put in jail as soon as possible. We, as Americans cannot stand to look at them. They do not have nice houses and cannot put money in the campaign coffers of our politicians, elected judges, or the appointees of our politicians.

Of course he belongs in jail. Silly question Jack, really. If we knew we all could steal $50 Billion, and then hang out in a swanky $7 Million apartment, we'd have a lot more hedge fund entrepreneurs, don't you think? It's the same story with the BART officer who shot Oscar Grant in Oakland. Why is he not sitting in jail awaiting trial? You or I would be, for sure. Some are protected by people in high places; most are not. Maddoff and Johannes Mehserle obviously fall into the first category. This is a real problem, and scares me to no end.

How could a thief who stole 50 billion get bail, and stay in a penthouse. Many people spend countless time behind bars for far less crimes. Is it possible during these trying times, that a judge would set an example of one of these executives. This just shows how the rich and powerful look out for each other regardless of who gets hurt.

no,......because we let murderers out on mail and he didn;' murder anyone. Well at least physically..Ask the same question today about our N.Y.Giants

Why is it that Americans are all for freedom and democracy, until the very document that guarantees freedom and democracy – the U.S. Constitution – is used by someone that the media feels is guilty? "Innocent until proven guilty" is not a sound bite, it is a right. Like freedom. And democracy.

Sure keep hm there...but take all his crap outta the apartment in leave him with nothing but the clothes on his back...matter fact take the clothes too, he can use a cardboard box.

Perhaps the judge has ulterior motives: he may believe jail is too "safe" for Madoff and is buying time for the swindled investors to get past his private security and take him out. Truly unbelievable.

It costs $43,000 a year to house a prisoner. Haven't we all lost enough with Bernie. Criminals like Bernie Madoff should be put in jail at their expense not the taxpayers.

White collar hypocrites always make a lot of noise when one of them gets the advantage of being free on bail pending trial. The question should not be about Madoff being free but why are those millions of ordinary people sitting in jail waiting trial.

It's always the same in America, money talks. That this person, suspected of possibly the biggest fraud in history, is being shown such leniency is outrageous. That penthouse of his should be sold and the proceeds added with whatever other assets can be found and returned to those who have lost so much. If not, ok, let him stay there if that's what he prefers but don't let anyone in or out, turn off the utilities and let him rot. Maybe then he'll wish he went to jail..

I just wish he was Black.
Small amounts of drugs = no bail, wait in jail.
Steal $50 Million = House arrest in your penthouse. Gotta love Change

Yes, plain and simple...hasn't he canceled his bail by sending off the jewelry?

Jack,
Is he Black or Muslim? NO... If the skin color was different he would have stayed in Jail as a flight risk or an enemy combatant. I am sickened by the apparent bias.
This country needs more clear cut guidelines as to who is allowed out. If you have destroyed the lives of more than 100 people you should remain in jail until you prove you're innocent.

Does Madoff belong in jail until his trial? No. He should walk up a stairway to the gallows, whereupon a rope should placed around his neck, and asked if he would like like to make a final statement. I hereby volunteer to be the executioner at no expense to the taxpayer.

Lou
Baytown, TX

Why does this devil even have a 7 million dollar penthouse to stay in.
The government should seize it and use the funds to compensate victims.

Lives have not only been destroyed but LOST as well, but yet Bernie Madoff gets to sit in his penthouse and WAIT peacefully for his trial!! They should LOCK him up and throw the key away!! Better yet, feed him to the sharks!!

This is just one of the many barriers that everyday people have to overcome. I feel that he should get treated the same way that we would treat a thief that would come into your home and business and steal. I mean really I thought the laws were supposed to be the same this is just another form of racism its just not dealing with black and white it is dealing with rich and poor and how the rich will always get a slap on the hand. But I just want to know one thing why again can Micheal Vick not get out of jail and not have the opportunity to play ball I mean they were just dogs?? You mean to tell me that abused animals have more rights than the people who are probally going to lose everything you cant say to a bill collector oh my accountant stole the money and unfortunately you going to have to wait. Sorry. He should be under the jail because he did this to these people on purpose. But we will see how much press this gets!!!!!!!! AIG sound familiar notice we dont hear much on that either.

Since the privileged of the world decide how the other 6 billion of us live, I'm always bemused when a privileged person screws other privileged persons...the rules are so very different ... they treat each other like human beings that have feelings ... LOL

In our multi-tiered system of justice, Madoff's penthouse confinement is to be expected. Considering that some of Madoff's victims were financial institutions I would imagine that some viewers are enjoying the fact that the sharks are feeding on each other.

Considering the many people he swindled, we have to be concerned about his safety. It's more difficult (and expensive) to keep him safe in jail. In addition, they're also trying to find out more about his operations and how to get at least some of the money back.

While we may not like it, the guy is presumed innocent and the government has not proven he is a flight risk. Bail is intended to ensure the defendant shows up for trial.

Your comments regarding drug dealers sitting in jail is not a reasonable comparison. They sit in jail because they cannot afford bail. Madoff obviously can post any bail that is set.

I hope Madoff receives a life term, but the punishment phase generally follows a conviction.

You Betcha! ! !

More attention should be paid to either the person who decided that even if he violated his conditions of parole he should still not be incarcerated. Granted, he might not be a flight risk since he is destitute and would be unable to fly to a foreign country with no extraditction policy. Perhaps the judge who freed him 'trusts' that he wouldn't do that! Let's blame the right people here – Madoff is a crook – the judge who released him again is the one who we should now be upset with.

Yes he belongs in jail and the judge that didn't put him there belongs in there with him. I wonder how much money that judge is making off this. It is no wonder why people has lost all confidence in the justice system.

What's the matter Jack? Madoff got to you too?

Ray Kinserlow
Lubbock, Texas

Snarky comment for snarky commentator: If all the gullible gamblers who believed in honestly gotten permanent returns of 12% or more don't have to go to jail, than neither should Mr. Madoff. We all get to pay for mass stupidity.

Not only should Madoff be in jail but he should fork over everything he owns to begin to compensate all those that he ripped off. He should experience a life of poverty for the remainder of his life. Even that would not be give him what he really deserves but it would be a start.

"Executive criminals" are treated like kings in this country. This is the biggest travesty of our alleged "justice" system. Bernie "made off" with $50 billion and gets a velvety, gold-plated slap on the wrist. Of course he should be in jail! The problem is there's no jail in the nation that's appropriate enough for him. Maybe he should just be hung by his short hairs over Times Square until the time of his trial.

Shameful that the man is not in jail. Your point about how quickly low level offenders are whisked off to jail is so right on. What a mockery of justice to have that criminal on house arrest in his penthouse. What is the judge's logic? This is wrong in every way. Keep up your good observations, Jack. You hit the nail on the head every day. Sherry, Milford, CT

YES,YES,YES.....thousand times YES.......

I'm not using the age card....but... had he been younger...??????

The gift that keeps on giving! You steal 50 Billion... Get Caught... Bail Yourself out of Jail with it... Live off it until it's time to go to trial... Pay all the attorneys who are trying to save the greatest thief in modern day history... Where else can you do it but the good ole USA.... Cut him off at the knees and make him suffer without cash and the net worth of a 11 year old with a neighborhood paper route!

I think the judge is on the take, if you've got enough money you can buy "anything" in New York. By the way I'm a native of New York (Brooklyn) with some experience with graft in the city.

Madoff has not been convicted of anything. Until he is, he is presumed innocent and should not be incarcerated unless he is a threat to flee or commit another crime while awaiting trial. By the way, the Governor of Illinois hasn't been convicted of anything yet either.

He is a bigger criminal than those sitting in jail for selling a few rocks. He has ruined countless lives and he lives like a king. His treatment is equal to those who bring the large amounts of drugs into our country. They too live like Kings and we suffer.

No Jack,Madoff does not belong in Jail!! He need to be stood against his Condo wall and treated the same way that China or Russia would treat him!!

I feel that Mr. Madoff should get screwed over by the judicial system the way he screwed over so many others. Put him in a cell with a big, bad boogeyman and let Mr. Madoff suffer at Boogyman's hands. As far as I'm concerned Mr Madoff raped, pilaged, and plundered--white collar pirate is what he is.

It makes me wonder what kind of country this is where someone can steal 50 billion dollars, and still be let free on bail while others go to prison for much more frivilous crimes. I think this is a gross mistrial of justice, and the perfect example of how f*cked up the priorities and the justice system in this country can be. I sincerely hope that he gets what's coming to him.

Youu bet he does, but just goes to remind of who runs things in America, bull walks, money talks. If you have money, you can but anything or anybody, even the courts. Sharla, Barling Ar.

Jack of course he should be in jail now! What I am worried about is that he will have a heart attack and die and go to hell before the public in general will ever get any sort of satisfaction to see him in prison. Like what happened to that other horrible monster Ken Lay

I think that Mr. Madoff should be locked up. What makes him so different from any other criminal? Respected people lost their lively hoods by putting their trust in him, and now they have to find a way to pay their bills. Will Madoff them a life line, or bail them out?! Why does he get to stay in his $7M penthouse? The right thing for him to do is to sell all his assets (penthouse, and other homes, etc) and pay back all the investors who have lost everything. Then he should sit in prision to await his trial like everyone else.

Jack,

I'm shaking my head at this magistrate's logic. What was this guy thinking? I think this guy needs to have a history lesson on another "fat cat" who actually saw the inside of a jail cell: Leona Helmsley.

Does Bernard Madoff Belong in Jail? Of course he does! If its so obvious that he swindled people, he ought to be in custody and all his assetts locked down. Isn't it amazing that people trusted a guy with a name like "Madoff" – well, that's just exactly what he did... he made off with their money... and may get away with it!

No Jack, he stole 50 billion dollars, so he should be able to hang out in his 7 million dollar Park Ave high rise and hire the best lawyers for his defense with whats left of other peoples money! This country is a joke, so much for equal rights huh?

Absolutely not Jack. We should be kicking ourselves for listening to our parents. We should have turned to a life of crime like most everyone else so that we could be kicking back in some penthouse high and mighty above those that didn't while they write snardy emails about the scams we pulled off.

It is a reflection of our justice system that this low-life responsible for the destruction of so many lives is allowed to continue to enjoy his luxurious lifestyle built on the money of others, while someone that is poor and without resources who attempts to rob a convenience store is put under the jail. Where is the equity? What lessons are we to learn from this behavior? This judge should be in the cell with Madoff!

Yes, Yes, a thousand times, YES! Did the judge even confiscate his passport?!? This guy has ruined or damaged more lives than an army of drug dealers yet give him champagne and caviar. I know justice is blind but in this case it's deaf and dumb as well – this judge is incompetent and should be removed from the bench.

He most certainly does. If a average american was guilty he would be put in jail, have to pay fines, take classes, and most likely lose his/her job.

The problem with being able to keep Madoff in jail is that his crime is not classed as violent, and as a result, he cannot be considered a danger to society. However, think about the far reaching effects of his 50 billion dollar theft. Think about the charities that have been robbed of being able to help the poor and the sick. If one of these charities has one of their charges die because the money to help isn't there, this could be considered a consequence of the crime Madoff did, allegedly, commit. If you commit a violent crime, and someone dies in the process, it's automatically murder. Maybe we need to extend the rule of law to non-violent crimes that also result in the death of an individual.

I do believe we see a good example of a judge who is bought & paid for by Madoff. I, personnaly, would like to see justice done & send Madoff & that judge to jail in general population & let them all know what dirt bags they are. But i guess that would be only a dream.

If having Madoff spend his days and nights in jail gives one of his victims just one more minute of sleep, throw him in the can.

Yes, Madoff should be in jail until his trial, but is he any different than the mongers of wall street or the executives of the banks? What are we thinking giving all this money out and not even requiring them to be accountableas to what they did with these billions? You're right, ONLY IN AMERICA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Here's my idea of the ideal punishment for Bernie Madoff: Put him up against the wall and let all the people he defrauded throw rocks at him.
- Nancy in North Bay, Ontario

oh my god.............................YES
i also think heshould never do a day in jail after the trial.
he should be stripped of all assets
left with fifty thousand dollars at the end of the trial
and forced to do fifty thousand hours of community service.
explaining why being a swindeling dirtbag is a naughty thing. he should be giving lectures to buis. majors at univercitys. around the country all the while being forced to grow eyes in the back of his head.
i mean fifty billion bucks is quite a tidy sum.
george
chester,ct.

He definitely belongs in jail. Some people who steal just a few dollars from other people go to jail. The judge who ruled in his favor for house arrest should be thrown in jail for a possible bribe taking.

Concerned citizen

The fact is in America one gets the justice one can afford. It would be interesting to see what an investigation of the Judge's finances would reveal!

I would like to see him locked up... making "new friends!"

However, I would be satisfied if a couple of cell blocks from Riker's moved in with him in his penthouse!

Yes, yes, yes...He should be in jail and his visiting hours should be extended to accommodate all the people he swindled who would like to spend a few minutes with him to debriefe.

Jim,

I feel that he definitely shouldn't be allowed any sort of freedom at this time before his trial. But, I'm sure there we're others involved in such a huge scam. Don't think he was the only one involved.

How is this even a question to be debated!! He destroyed lives but gets to sit comfy in a 7+ million dollar penthouse? Remember the law is blind. Those who break laws should all be held to the same standards! Throw him in Jail and hope to lose the key!

No. He should be put under the Jail and left there until Hell freeze over.

WW-TX

HELL YES, He need to be put in the worst jail house available, so he feel the pain and distress he has brought into so many lives. He is in a multi million apartment while some of his victims are thinking of how to pay their bills. Why did they let him still have access to such amount of money, when charities are closing thier doors, pple thinking of how to pay their mortgagte. Every dime this guy has should be given back to his victims. This is ridiculouse, spending millions on gifts after all whats going on.

This is sad...CEO's used to steal and blame it on poor bookkeeping.
This guy steals openly and without shame shares the the loot with family and friends.
He should go to jail along the same lines of foolishly showing up in a private jet asking for a government bailout...Blunder

Mike L.
San Marcos TX

What our great nation needs right now is looking forward, not backwards, but action in the direction of what will make this nation greater with each new step into future.

Yes, but not until he completes his training schedule with his jail coach. First, he needs to get acclimated to confined spaces and by now Bernie is restricted to only 5,000 square feet of his penthouse. Next, he needs to wear the sames clothes for 3 straight days, and finally he has to get used to jail food, but he is looking to hire a chef who has prison experience.

Mr. Madoff absolutely belongs in jail for the rest of his life. He has ruined the families of far too many who invested with him.How can anyone recoup these losses, their retirement years are destroyed. Shame on the judge! Maybe he invested with Mr. Madoff too!

It costs American citizens much more to put him in jail than to leave him locked up at home, why should we spend any more money on this guy than necessary? He does no more damage being at home than he would do in jail.

Matt, Fairfield, CA

Mr. Cafferty,
I would first like to comment on your own words, "only in America"
How true is that. why is this country in such a frazzle?? We are on the brink, of collapse, and unfortunately, the ones who would survive, are the rich and the powerful. And we can see this today with Bernard. Citizens can easily juke the system, as long as they have the money. how is this fair? All citizens are created equal. He goes to jail...And when the world ends. i hope the human race is eliminated, this world needs a reboot.

Bernie Made-off alright,,,yes he belongs in jail...
Its incredible that money talks in this situation....

Redford, Michigan

No definitely not. Since he is very adept at handling other peoples money. He should be President- Elect Obamas Bailout Czar.

mr. maddoff is my hero...i would like to see if there is some kind of help that we could maybe organize for mr. madoff...something like best legal help, and just in general to make his life as easy and pleasant as possible while he is going through these difficult economic times...mr. madoff is my idol because, to do what he did and to scam the master scamers he scammed is a real feat...mr madoff is just someone who has realised his american dream...i would like to propose mr madoff for mr bernanke replacement...mr madoff should be new alan greenspan...by the way...alan greenspan stole 100 more than mr. madoff but he is celebrated by the media as a wizzard...yes...he is a wizzard...he made lotta money for rockfeller and rotshild and made the thousands of billions disapear...houdini is a baby for madoff and madoff is a baby for greenspan...cheers...

Cafferty....Here is your Snarky remark....When you ask the question try not to skew the issue's.... Those folks who sell the dope bags and are regulated to waiting in jail do so because their inability to post bail...You also make it sound like his victims are from middle America...come on they were the elite of the elite and I have trouble losing sleep thinking about them have a hard time affording the oil change for their Rolls Royce...Madoff is a jerk and needs to go to jail but we don't need you skewing the facts!!!

The simple answer? Yes

In a word YES
The next question would be, should the judge who allowed Madoff to remain free, be sent to jail. The answer to that question,in a word
YES.
Thanks, I needed that.

Jack,

Your are right! "only in America" do you have a person who is thought to be a great crook *and trust me I am as appalled as you are" get the option of home arrest while awaiting trail. THAT IS THE LAW. Judges cannot place you in custody becuase they think you are a rat and may end up being found guilty. At this stage of the case only "dangerouness to themselves or others" is the criteria used.

Shame on you for using this as an opportunity to rile up the public and make them feel even more distrust in the CJS than they may already have, instead of using it as a teaching opportunity. We are a nation of Law not EMOTION.

Mary Cuadrado
Associate Prof.
UTEP

Jack: Perhaps a trip to Gitmo is in order for a bit of water boarding to determine the location of all this money and the names of all involved. After that trip, air drop him in the middle of the pacific ocean without a parachute.

ABSOLUTELY!!!!!!! "People" like him deserve to rot in prison for the rest of their measly lives. While we're at it, let's throw every loser in Wall Street in there. Hell, why not throw Blagojevich in the same cell as Madoff.

Lets rename a new drink the "Maddoff Cocktail," light it up and throw it at the SEC idiots who deserved to be flambéed for allowing this financial catastrophe to occur.
Or were they all at the bar already toasting each other?

Bernard MadeOff should be in jail. He didn't just steal from thousands that invested money with him. He stole from the entire country, he stole what little trust the country had in our financial system. He took any trust we had and destroyed it. For him to be out on bail (using stolen money) , paying for his security (with stolen money) and paying for his residence (with stolen money) shows just how different the laws in our country are for different classes.

This isn't innocent until proven guilty, he admitted his guilt. He should never see the light of day again unless it is shinning through his bars.

Jack,
There are 16 year olds sitting in adult jail because they did something stupid, yet non violent like steal a car. And now one of the groups whose mission is to help keep kids under `18 out of adult jails – the Campaign for Youth Justice – lost some of its endowment when the JHET Foundation ceased operating thanks to Bernie.

So where's the justice?

Let's retire the word "Ponzi" to define schemers and frauds and replace it with Madoff – as in "He is the victom of a Madoff Scheme."

Jail is not sufficient – infamy is just deserts for this betrayal.

Tony in Narrowsburg, New York

I think justice would be served if he was to stay with some of the victims of his terible crimnal acts. This would give him time to reflect with them and explain why he robbed them of their money!

We all know what the answer should be HELL YES! But will it happen I don't think so. Once again like rich people, politicians, movie stars and sport figures. Money talks and Bull Crap walks. Welcome to America the land of the free!

Madoff''s house arrest for such an evil act is indicitive of the moral confusion and fog that our government, executive, legislative and judical, is lost. Is there so few men of honor that they can not control the actions of the greedy, the amoral, the evil men we the American public continue to elect?

Yes, he deserves to be in jail. He shows no remorse for bilking the people and charities. Do not allow him time to dispose of assets. All the things he has now will in no way cover what is lost. I believe that if the Judge was a invester his ruling would have been different.

Sorry Jack I don't think regular jail will cut it. Instead of Rikers send him to Gitmo. That way after he gets his twenty years in a federal prison, it really will feel like a hotel.

How does a person that stole 50 billion dollars have 10 million dollars for bail and money for lawyers? He is using money that belongs to his victims. Jail? I think the judge that allowed this travesty to occur should be jailed for miscarriage of justice.

I suspect the magistrate that let this nincompoop stay at home has never lost any money on the market. I do hope his postion is an elected position and his constituients are taking notes Justice would be to let those who lost their life savings, those who Madoff swindled, let them be the judge and jury. Further more I think there should be some guidelines for home confinement. It should be limited to minor crimes. Jerks like Madoff should have to auction off all of their assetts to partially pay back those they have swindled. I am getting sick and tired of watching these big time criminals getting off with a slap on the wrist and then some little petty criminal serve 20 years for having a fight or petty theft. Our entire justice system needs revamped.

Pre-conviction imprisonment is to, 1. protect the public from further crimes by the defendant and, 2. to insure the defendant appears in court when necessary. Which of these require his imprisonment now?In a death-penalty case, would you ask that the defendant be executed while awaiting trial?

Yes he belongs in jail ...unless the Judge is willing to let his victims come stay in the penthouse and keep an eye on him.

But of course Jack!! He'll get there, it's just that the money is keeping him out of the jaihouse now........But he"ll be in there soon enough.......

Let's here it for the continued systemic perpetuation of wealthy white male privilege in America! If Madoff were a black man, even a wealthy black man, or an entertainer (which he obviously is), he would be underneath the jail now. I'm heading downtown to Central Booking and The Tombs to see how many young black men; who've done far less; I can get judges to release so they can sleep in their own beds at home tonight!

in a brief answer Yes he belongs in jail for cheating thousands out of their money and life savings

I think everyone who steals money like that should have a suite in any prison of OUR choice not sitting in a mansion. WOW, who said crime doesn't pay. Just ask O.J. Oh I forgot he is in jail. He can be O.J.s room mate.

Ya, think? Jail he would have stayed. If I stole something, I'd be up under the jail until the trial. This just bites.

Again this shows how the justice system favors the rich. If it had been working mother embezzling to feed her kids, she would have been in jail from day one and her kids left homeless.

No this is Bernie Madoff, he get's to live in his Penthouse.

I bet he will probably be pardoned and not do any jail time?

Only time will tell.

No he does not belong in jail. He belongs in a hole someplace. He is a monster and should be treated as such. Put him in a cage until his trial on public display for all to see. Take his mansion or penthouse and put it on the auction block even before trial. Allow this worm one lawyer only and don't let his money be a representive factor in how he is to be treated. After all it is not his to start with. Treat him exactly as I an average citizen would be treated. Enough said

Jack, He should be in a jail cell right next to his two boys who turned him in so they could keep their fortunes and avoid prosecution. As Donald Trump says if you worked in the mail room at this place you would know that something very wrong was going on. I also wonder if this judge had invested with Mr. Madoff if he would see this case in a different light.

Hey Jack, how about 2 hours in the same room with all the people he's swindled instead of jail pending the outcome of his trial?

YES, of course! If he doesn't go to jail we should let all prisoners out of jail who have stolen less than 50 billion dollars.
The jails would be nearly empty, I think.
Prison is almost too good for him. He should have rats in his cell.

yeah, if maydoff wants to turn his abode into his cell,fine .Just figure the sq. ft. his penthouse and allow how ever many prisoners rykers has in that space and send them over to stay with Bernie and the MRS.

Why does the rich get treated like royalty when in comes to breaking the law, let him taste what really life is like. Throw him in the slammer and let him feel what it is like to loose everything, just like he did to his victims. Sure, sure there is a innocence before guilty thing , but these spolied rich people are so pampered by the justice system they will never learn and get rehabilitated. In todays society green talks and if you have it you are above the law!!

With the charges that he faces, he has done exactly what dope dealers and any other criminals do. They make bond, if they can afford it. However, I don't think he is being charged with all the crimes he should be. For the people that commited suicide because of his ponzie scheme, he should be charged with MURDER or complicity to murder. Manslaughter should be the minimum he should be able to plea to. Now that's REAL JUSTICE!!!!!!

hey. jack what happen to the laws that are in place that says that your innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. ...

Yes, by all means... Bernie Madoff should spend all of his time until his trial in a jail cell, eating jail food & wearing jail clothes too. Not at his posh digs while other criminals do their time according to the law.

I hope the court 'throws the book' at him. To everyone I know he's a modern day bank robber... just as common a disgusting criminal as if he carried a Tommy gun & a satchel and said 'stick 'em up' in person.

IF All Americans are created equal... then treat Bernie like 'one of us'.

_ Terry, in FL

All these CEO's and Wall Street crooks are above the law. Proving if you have the right amount of money in this country you can do whatever you want. If is funny to me that when the "common people" were taken advantage of it was our mistake, but when the rich are dupped it is a crime. To hear them all whine makes me sick. I think they all should go to jail and serve some time before we give all involved in scamming have a visit to the guillotine.

Does the Pope's bear poop in-the-woods?

Send him to a vacation at Camp XRay. By the time the new president closes Gitmo, he will have provided investigators a wealth of valuable intelligence.

BTW, who's watching the foxes of the bailout?
The GAO report on both $350 BILLION TARP packages will make for nteresting reading...

If he is put in jail then we the tax payer will be paying the bill to house him there. Even though he is in a penthouse he has to pay all his own bills. The taxpayer should not have to pay for his trial, Madoff made of with billion, make him pay for his trail other wise he needs to plead guilty and then made to pay for the time he is sentence for.

Our judicial system needs an over-hall. Its all based on blame and punishment rather than the idea of community restoration. Our jails are full of people who will never have the opportunity to take meaningful responsibility for the consequences of their actions. This is a tragedy for victims and accused alike. Those who suffer most are those found guilty of misdemeanors who also lack access to resources. They are punished more severely than the Mr. Madoffs of the world, who still has access to resources. We can do better as a nation.

You bet he belongs in jail Jack! Could you imagine what would happen to you or I if we stole a mere $10 million? Do you think any judge in America would let us put up 1/5000 of what we stole as bail? It's just another example of pampering to the well-monied..........no matter how they got there. U.S. Magistrate Ronald Ellis seems to have the same buddies as the judge who Ken Lay's family off the hook.

Any man within the United States who has leverage over 50 billion
dollars, come on Jack, you know better than that ! The man got too
much money to be " Locked Up " this is America.

Lorenzo... Salisbury,Md

If Bernie Madoff is to be under "House Arrest", then it should be a complete one.

No phones, no computers, no faxes, no TV, no radio, limited visitation.

He should be accorded all the rights and privileges that pre-trial 'guests' at Riker's Island or 'The Tombs' get...with the sole exception being the location (his penthouse).

He's yet to have been placed in a situation which would cause him to reflect on his misdeeds. A bit of takeaway may be just the trick.

I am appalled and disgusted by the fact that Madoff is not in jail. What does this say about out judicial system? His victims are left penniless while he sleeps well in his bed. I cannot find the proper words to describe the disgust I feel for this man. He deserves to be in a cold cell.

Maria – Bronx, New York

Yes, B. Madoff indeed belongs in jail while he awaits trial. If John Q Public was charged with a petty crime and could not afford a lawyer this is where he would reside until such time the case came to trial. The judge or judges who continue to allow him the freedom of his misbegotten luxury penthouse should keep him company there.

As yo say – only in America. And at the rate the crooks are going the jails will be full soon. Perhaps we can impound their luxury accomodations and turn them into jails.

Isn't the money he posted for bail stolen!? Each law now has an A and a B. One for the elite and one for the rest of us.

Of course he does. This is a frightening and disappointing proof of the elitist system of justice facing the American people. Not only should he be at Rikers on charges of theft and fraud, he should be held without bond for involuntary or neglegent manslaughter for the suicides he has prompted.

My greatest hope is that when he finally is sentenced to prison life, he is ordered into the general poulation of a maximum security facility. No more penthouses for this sociopath. Also, he should be left without one red cent to his name. Everything he has should be confiscated and distributed to clients or charities.

Thom
Negaunee, MI

I am not sure Bernie Madoff should be in jail just yet. He has not been convicted of anything. Why would there be a rush to throw him in jail? He has been accused of some reprehensible behavior, but that doesn't mean he gets locked up right away. If I am not mistaken, getting out on bond depends on flight risk and the potential for causing civic harm. If the judge determines he is an acceptable risk, then he stays out of jail until convicted. Period. I didn't know our judicial system and the premise that it depends on was so opaque? People should not be in a big rush to punish others, whether they be a Wall street financier or a Bleaker street drug addict. We have to be respectful of the judicial process.

Money has it privileges, even if it's someone elses money.

Any logical person would expect him to be in jail, unless your a high priced law office and making hugh amounts of money to keep him living in his penthouse. Can't say I blame Bernie for beating the system again. It will just add more footage to the future movie.

No. Newsweek did a big article on this: http://www.newsweek.com/id/178674 Mark Gimein argues that keeping people in jail violates the "innocent until proven guilty" a core tenent of our legal system. Mark argues that electronic monitoring is so good today that we don't need to keep people in jail. Everyone deserves a fair, unbiased day in court.

-Michael Plasmeier Havertown, PA

According to me, he should be in jail right now. By the use of a get rich scheme, he caused the loss of a lot of persons money. He should be placed in jail as soon as possible.

Jack,,,,, What a word !! Snarky !!!

You had me running for the dictonary.... Awesome Word !!!!

He deserves to be in Jail !!!!

Suzi Hall
Rural Retreat, VA
http://www.askpappy.com

This judges decision does not surprise me at all. With the corrupt judges and high class lawyers out there corruption will never stop. It appears Madoff's gifts filtered into there pockets also.

This is a NO BRAINER, yet some SMART people (the judge?) don't seem to arrive on a rationale decision! Yes, this MADOFF man, who admitted on being so corrupt that left many charities so much problems and left victims wondering how they're going to pay their bills, shouldn't be staying in his 7 million dollars place while awaiting trial. He's already guilty! SO MUCH FOR BLIND JUSTICE on this case!

It shows so transparenly how far our leaders have let down our counrty. Isn't the bailout of companies that should be collapsing, due to greed and looking the other way, the same as this guy getting away with this scam for so long and now not getting what he deserves

This just proves that our legal system is about as good as money can buy. He should be placed in jail, no window, & never see sunlight again. Also anyone who was in the dealings with him knowing what was going on should be right beside him.
Good case of AMERICAN GREED.

Madoff's ability to walk just goes to show that "MONEY TALKS WHILE MADOFF WALKS".

What about that hole they found Saddam H. in? That would be a deserving location to hold him considering what he is accused of confessing to doing to the lives of so many.

Jack Bernard madoff belongs in jail for what he is accused for. but when he is covicted and he is orded to pay the people he stole from back, all he has to do is ask the goverment for a bail out there bailing everybody else out.

Why is there any question about it? The man is a crook. Allowing this crook to mail friends and family jewels and such is insane. What is wrong with that judge? He should be investigated too. Hang em High!!

we lock people up for stealing pennies. Why this guy still living like king? Please lock him up.

Jack, don't be upset that Madoff is not in jail, rather be upset that the rest of us cannot have access to the same kind of legal defense team.

The big injustice is that we are not all privy to the best legal help possible, and that should be the most important injustice that we must strive to correct.

Madoff merely highlights what is missing in our system of justice for others less fortunate. It is up to us to change things to make them better for all of us and our progeny.

Maurice,

Tulsa, Oklahoma

Yes, Bernie Madoff should be in jail. What type of message is the judge sending? Is Bernie Madoff better than any other criminal? I think the judge will receive something ($) by mail for his service to the people.

The fact that he's not in jail just goes to prove that justice is not equal between the rich and the poor in this country. We've been brain washed again.

Ephrata, WA

In my youth, my father often advised me that what you know is important, but is always trumped by who you know. Now, after working, (and, more recently, seeking work, like so many others), the wisdom of that advice has become obvious. People charged with lesser crimes have received grossly harsher treatment than Mr. Madoff's, whose home detention arrangement only reinforces the condition that each of us is entitled to however much justice we can buy.

What the hell kind of justice is it, that put some poor soul in jail for carrying a little weed and then lets Bernie the bastard stay at home??
China has a great way to deal with this type of criminal! And THIS guy deserves it.

It is very sad that a human being would rip off other human beings the way that Madoff has done. He seems to be boasting and bragging everytime I see him in the media by smiling. Not a smile of joy but a smile of arrogance. He should know that he will not get away with what he did. It is funny how Mayor Bloomberg spoke out so vividly regarding Plaxico Burress's shooting incident but I did not see him hold a press conference regarding what should be done to Bernie Madoff. I am not screaming racism but WOW!!!!! What's up with that Mayor Bloomberg?

Jack,

He should have been in jail the day he was arrested. Here is an idea:

Instead of closing Gitmo, we should use it to house people like Maddoff who abuse their positions by ripping-off hardworking citizens.
We should rename it – "Millionaire's Wharf". People like Maddoff like residences called "wharfs" and "rows".

We all know what the answer should be HELL YES! But will it happen I don’t think so. Once again like rich people, politicians, movie stars and sport figures. Money talks and Bull Crap walks. Welcome to America the land of the free!

You want true justice...Issue a set of playing cards with all the top players in this mess ,Madoff at the top, to the American public...just like the most wanted Iraqi cards.

What kind of message is this sending to people who are considering committing white collar crimes? The gentle treatment of the wealthy in the criminal justice system sends the message that crimes with high payoff are worth the risk.

Madoff travest y begs the question: How is residence presumably purchased through ill gotten gains allowed to remain in his possession?

He should be incarcerated, just like a petty criminal is. Unfortunately, he is a white colar criminal, one of the elite, aristocratic class, that gets little prison time, if any, and goes to Club Fed when they get that time. Unlike the majority of criminals that end up in real prisons and serving real time with the population. It will be kidd glove treatment for the kidd glove class.

Jack: My only comment on B. Madoff's victims is the old investment adage: Bulls get rich, bears get rich and pigs get slaughtered!

madoff should be in the same jail as every other swindler who violates his parole. i would just like Ronald ellis and the other new york judges to define the amount of money you have to have in order to escape the law! is the law different when you steal from a charity? ...im confused, i thought there was a magna carta, but i guess not.

Maddoff made-off with billions of dollars, entrusted in his care, he deserves a send-off to jail, permanently.

Yes he belongs in jail! Cant we try him for treason?

Well Jack, let me ask you this.....If you violated a condition of your release until trial, what do you think the judge would do? Whatever happened to equal under the law?

This is ridiculous. It's a shame that a guy who has financialy ruined people's life is being allowed to stay in his pen house; where he probably used the stolen money to pay with. There are times when you feel shame in living in this beautiful country, and I believe this is one of them.

What in God's name is going on?

1) Fail to pay a traffic ticket and a bench warrant will be issued for your arrest
2) Get caught with minor amount of drugs and it's off to jail
3) Fail to pay child support, off to jail
4) Steal huge sums of money... we'll get back to you so you have time to hide your ill gotten gains. PS we accept tips!!

Bernie Madoff should be hang drawn and quartered by now. American justice is sending a clear message of one law for the rich and another for everyone else. Stealing a car can cause 20 police cars to chase you down the highway, stealing 50 billion and you're free to walk around. I could afford to buy the big 3 car manufacturers for as much as he has stolen.

PS Bail should be set at 51 billion dollars...

Let's see, a working man steals and gets 5-20 years in a concrete cell barely the size of a bathroom, sharing a dirty toilet and sink -and this guy KNOWINGLY steals and gets to live in a palace the size and cost of an entire correctional facility, while his high-priced lawyers build his defense? Oh and don't forget the judges are on the budget, too. It proves the dollar can still buy freedom and "justice"--but, whose dollar(s)?

Bernie Madoff deserves to be in jail...for a short time... then he needs to receive a "speedy trial" and a "sentence" not unlike those meted out by the Jacobins during the "Reign of Terror" in France.

Justice? ..... I am sure he would receive the "justice" he deserves at the able hands of someone like Robespierre !

Liberty....equality....fraternity ! ! !

I am sure that "Madame Guillotine" would like to make the acquaintance of Monsieur Madoff.....and I am sure that Monsieur Robespierre would be happy to make the proper introductions ! ! !

To the law, Madoff is innocent until convicted – even if we want him hanged now. What we see makes us sick. Justice, fortunately, wears a blindfold.

Jail – absolutely, for his own protection. Oh yeah, he shoiuld pay the tab on any court costs too.

Why steal a car or rob a bank, think BIG, swindle everyone's savings and pensions, you'll be able to stay home and watch The Price is Right.

Another example of American Justice...If you have money you are innocent, If you are broke you go too Jail.. Sounds fair? I dont even know what 50 billion is? Is that money? Our kids must think, we adults are jus plain stupid...

Hi Jack,

I think that Mr. Madoff should be given a fair trial then HUNG as an example to others who would ruin the lives of people that trusted him with a LOOOT of money. I also think that the property of Mr. Madoff and his family should be sold and the profits given to the people he cheated.

Keep up the good work Jack.

Yes, Yes, Yes! B. Madoff belongs in jail, I agree totally with your comment, if it was one of us we would surely be in jail. If people like him continue to get away with this, it will not ever be controlled. I don't see how he goes to sleep at night knowing that he has stoled money that wasn't his and hurt so many lives from people who have tried to save that honest money for their retirement. What is our country thinking and the judges who just slap them on the wrist. How would they feel on the other side of the coin?? This kind of thing is so unbelievable and unfair.
Thanks for your intelligent and true comments!!!

He lies, cheats, steals, and is under house arrest at his $7M penthouse for such a horrific crime. Are you kidding me? House arrest???!!!! He should be locked up in jail like anyone else who commits a terrible crime. He should be locked up at Rykers prison.

Jack,

Yes! Madoff should be allowed to remain in his 7 million dollar penthouse like President Bush has been allowed to stay in the White House. When will we hold the rich and prestigious as accountable as we do the poor?

Dear Jack,
It,s the American dream!! You can buy your way out of anything in the United States. All you have to do is throw enough money at the system. Just hire yourself a team of high priced attorneys, just like O.J Simpson did and you can buy your way out of murder. In the states, if your wealthy, your off the hook. If your poor, it,s "go directly to jail".

Sincerely,
Greg

Nope. But while he waits for his indictment and trial. He should be doing some valuable public service – like cleaning taxicab floors, the subway platforms on the lower east side, and the public restrooms in central park.

My feeling when hearing Madoff would remain home, was that is what I would want for myself. I know he deserves to be held responsible for the harm he has caused others who invested with his firm; my feeling punitive toward Madoff would be futile, its for the courts to determine his blame worthiness.

Yes, he belongs in jail! Why are we even talking about this question? He has hurt more people than the jailed. While he is out, he has at his disposal ways to circumvent any paybacks possible to his victims. He is not a model home/ prisoner as the mailed jewels have proven.

Dr Phil says that when teenagers cannot be handled sometimes the parents have to show tough love and remove everything from their bedrooms. The teenager must then EARN their belongs back.....

I guess Mr Madoff is giving himself a "timeout" and removing all his millions of dollars of jewelery and gifts...that'll teach him!

His butt needs to be sitting in JAIL. Maybe he and OJ could have some stimulating conversation!

Why on earth not seems to be a more likely question?

I take it he doesn't have a Public Defender !!!

They put Martha in jail for less.

The obvious reality that money can still buy power in America lives on with this case.

If Bernie Madoff has the means to send checks and jewelry to family members, he certainly has the where-with-all to go follow his hidden assets and create a whole new identity. Someone who built a life upon scheming and stealing surely has had the foresight to sock something away that would be untouchable by the government or his victims.

Put him in jail. Seize all of his property. Freeze any and all accounts. Hire every forensic accountant in the land. Monitor every phone call and action of this man while he tries to come up with other ways to squirrel away what he has stolen.

Brooklyn, New York

Not to seem cynical, no. Each and every day he’s remains free, he’ll slowly lose his grandeur and be reminded that he is just a mere mortal. Consequently, as sets in his 7 million dollar digs contemplating the end, his but his butt checks will tighten exponentially. Can you spell preparation H backwards?

This is a NO BRAINER, yet some SMART people (the judge?) don't seem to arrive on a rationale decision! Yes, this MADOFF man, who admitted on being so corrupt that left many charities so much problems and left victims wondering how they're going to pay their bills, shouldn't be staying in his 7 million dollars place while awaiting trial. He's already guilty! SO MUCH FOR BLIND JUSTICE on this case!!!

Instead of jailing him at the taxpayers expense, how about putting him up in a secured tenament in the Bronx? With large roaches!!!

jack, under the jail charles , bozeman montana

YES YES YES
What the hell kind of justice is it, that put some poor soul in jail for carrying a little weed and then lets Bernie the bastard stay at home??
China has a great way to deal with this type of criminal! And THIS guy deserves it.

Jail! Right, he should be put in a big cell with Bubba and Kept there until he personally works off every dollar he stole. But there has always been two types of justice in the US. One for the poor and one for the rich, no matter how you acquire your money.

Bernie Madoff should be freed IMMEDIATELY to live only on the streets of New York City – and to take his chances with his victims!
His $7 million penthouse should also be immediately converted into a shelter for homeless veterans or other deserving individuals!
FREE BERNIE!!!

this is na no-brainer. of course he needs to be in jail. to me this is not a "white collar crime". it is a crime against humanity because of the major implications it has on people around the globe. and those who say no, are probably complicit in this monstrous act which belittles and demeans hard work. no punishment would be too severe for this " wolf in sheep's clothing".

I have many European friends who share with me why their countries feel the way they do about the US. One opinion stands out – "There is no justice system in America for the good guys. The only people with rights in your country are the criminals and the lying lawyers who always get them out of trouble. Your country is so full of crime because everyone around the world knows that is the place to go to kill someone and literally get away with it. And if you have money? Well, it's a given you can do anything you want. I'd visit your country but you'd be better off coming to live over here where the criminals actually get what they really deserve!"
I'm not so proud to be an American any more b/c too many of us do not agree with what is happening in our own country, but the rest of the world never sees that part. All they get to see is the greed, the crime and the injustice.

Jack;

Bob Dylan said it best: "Steal a little and they throw you in jail, steal a lot and they make you a king." Clarence Darrow famously noted the disparity between justice and wealth a century ago. It is sad that we are constantly reminded of it by the antics of those like Millikin, Enron, and now Madoff. Of course he belongs in jail....with liberty and justice for all.

Jim in Tucson

(sorry if this is a repeat)

Just remove the Scale from justice. Hollywood celebrities and Madoff have proven there is no balance in justice. Crime is not suppose to pay, but it does if it is white collar.

Madoff is just one of thousands of greedy and unscrupulous Wall St. CEO charlatan pitchmen who've created complex financial schemes no one can understand that gave investors worldwide the illusion of tens of trillions of dollars of stock market wealth, that in reality were nothing but bogus numbers on pieces of paper.

Hell yeah, a dollar is a dollar. Lock him up in the Secure Housing Unit

Since crime appears to pay, and pay well, here in America, we should start a ponzi scheme of our own, Jack. It'll take 10+ years for the idiots at the SEC to catch on. We'll do it in 8. I could use a Manhattan penthouse for the summer. How about it?

Help! I've been kidnapped by the SLA and am locked in a closet at Wyntoon! They're trying to brainwash me to rob banks to feed the homeless. Should I go along with them or just sit tight until the Marines rescue me? I can hear CNN on the TV in the other room. Answer me in code so they won't know I found a laptop in their gear. (Patty? Would you stop kicking me? I'm trying to tell Jack where we are!)

Not necessarily. Rather, the whole idea of the administration of justice needs an urgent and radical review. Locking him up would not undo any alleged misdeeds. Do you know that some companies exist and make jumbo profits because of high rates of incaceration? Lets not continue to fall for the same old antics. There must be creative ways in the 21st Century to deal with old problems.

Madoff represents the wealthy class in this nation. The USA is not unusual in having two standards of living; one for the rich and one for the lower classes. Thus Madoff gets the rich standards and lives in luxury after committing a major crime.

bernie madoff's name will be chiseled in american folklore,and his name will become as infamous as other catch phrases along with mr.ponzi..mr.(he took a)powder.his legecy will be something like..that man made off with all my money.he shoul go to federal prison,that way he has to do at least 11 months of every year sentenced

Madoff should be sent to guantanamo – after it's closed

I've figured out what the SEC stands for. Stupid Employees Cubicle for that is where they all huddled in their Ivory Towers to not see the obvious.

He most definitely deserves to rot in jail. A lot of people won't have any retirement because of him. Plus he stole from charities. How low can you get! Now he uses all that money to get the best lawyers money can buy so he doesn't have to sit in jail! The guy is scum!!

Martha Stewart got 5 months in prison, and 5 months home arrest for an insider crime that arguably was about $50,000.

The way it figures, Bernie should get a million times that… 10 million months… 833,000 years.

Madoff, made off? No. No human belongs in jail or hanging from yard-arm: Read Rousseau's "Social Contract." Reflect on Thomas More who willing lost his head rather than bend.. "...The Law is a thicket in which any man may take refuge to escape the righteous indigination of Society." On the bright side, maybe you'll inspire a vigilante to make off with Madoff's head. You'll make a lot of money: If it bleeds, it leads.
Aloha Nui Loa (Much Love)
Au Hui Kau Kou (Ya'all come back ya'hear)
Aloha Ke Akua (God Bless)

Of course Madoff belongs in jail! White collar criminals don't deserve special treatment! Put him where he belongs, in jail with the rest of society's "criminals"!

He seems to be missing a heart and conscience, so if he is jail, where he belongs, maybe the time will let him think of how much damage he has done to people who trusted him.

jack,
if it were you or me we would both be in jail.how could any judge in his right mind not send him to jail,maybe if the same judge hear the case he'll send him to club fed!

paul in north carolina.

Jack,

Bernard Madoff is not sitting pretty in his exclusive diggs in NYC, but is being given all the time that he wants to protect the money that he stole from his clients. I know that some of them have depth to their wealth, and might be able to survive the litigation, and possible loss. However many do not have that luxury. Real people were hurt, some beyond recovery.

Also,, Bernard Madoff may not be a flight risk, but what about this scenario. He jumps to his death either through a window, or off his balcony to the street below. He needs to be in a lockup somewhere and guarded. He knows that he will look better if he disappears and his family is richer for it.

He should also have to explain when, where, and what he did to scam his clients. Without that information, his swindled funds will be lost for recovery. that will not be done while he is in his posh home.

Jail him, vett him, and recover what you can before he checks out and becomes an urban legend!~

Thank you,

RD Johnson

It appears that the judge that made this decision left his reading glasses at home and thought the paperwork read "MADE OFF" instead of Madoff. Once again our illustrious judicial system shows that the rich and famous can do what they please, regardless if it causes people to loose everything they own.
Question: If one of the people that Madoff screwed out of millions or thousand of dollars commits suicide becuase they lost everything will he be charged with premeditated murder?

Gibby

Better hide your wallet Jack, I am teaching my kids to be just like Maddoff, and I feel sorry for the whole lot of you...Mr Maddoff best teacher ever. Long live the Jewish Gipsy King.

No. The issue is bail, not guilt. Madoff probably is a scurrilous villain, but he is still presumed innocent until he is convicted or enters a guilty plea. The issue today was whether he violated his bail. The court decided he had not done so, but did impose additional conditions, including having all his outgoing mail searched, and he remains unable to leave without being escorted.

I read the following about him. It sums it up quite nicely. What he has done is to radically expand the scope and viciousness of betrayal. He not only betrayed his friends, but his closest friends. He betrayed the trust of those who entrusted him with everything they had saved. He betrayed charities whose good works he extinguished in a day. These betrayals are epic in their scope and in their utter lack of remorse or responsibility. He not only made a bad calculation about how money works, he made a bad calculation about how life works. He gave no value to what matters and all value to what does not matter at all.
Cathy

Yes, it is a given Madoff should be in jail, but that's American Justice for you. There is none!

Madoff is the tip of the iceberg here Jack. Check the judge's accounts and the accounts of whoever appointed the judge. It's a "ponzi" scheme remember!

Hi Jack,

I do not think people have much patience to see this type of special treatment.

yes madoff belongs in jail. anyone else would be in jail Isn"t it fraud to pose as agents of nyse, without a liscense. M Foster indiana

Indeed, he does. It amazes me how white collar criminals get preferential treatment in America. He needs to sit in jail and contemplate the illegal decisions he's made.

send him to jail with Ellis so both can search for a speck of honesty in their lives.