How to Avoid Falling Victim to the Next Madoff
Don’t be embarrassed to ask questions, even impertinent ones — and remember that if something looks too good to be true, it probably is.
He’s gone, but he won’t be the last.
Photographer: Jin Lee/Bloomberg
To get John Authers' newsletter delivered directly to your inbox, sign up here.
Normally, I save this section until last, but today it’s time for one extended survival tip. It’s on how to avoid becoming the victim of an unfathomably large fraud. The reason the question arises? Bernie Madoff, perpetrator of the biggest Ponzi scheme in history and arguably the most notorious financial criminal of all time, is no longer with us. He died in prison Wednesday morning, at the age of 82. You can read my instant analysis, which you might call an “appreciation” for want of a better word, here.