Bernie Madoff’s sister and her husband were killed in an apparent murder-suicide shooting. CBS News reports that, on Thursday, the two were found unresponsive and with gunshot wounds in their Boynton Beach, Florida home. The individuals were identified as 87-year-old Sondra Wiener of Boynton Beach and her 90-year-old husband, Marvin.
“Detectives from the Violent Crimes Division arrived on scene to investigate further. After further investigation it appears to be a murder/suicide,” The Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement. No official cause of death has been determined by the Medical Examiner at this time. CBS Miami reports that there is no word on who pulled the trigger. CBS News adds that a woman who identified herself as the wife of son David Wiener spoke briefly to journalists by phones. She asked for privacy “at this time of grief,” added, “We are not making any comment at this time.”
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Madoff made headlines more than a decade ago, when he pleaded guilty to 11 criminal counts, including fraud and money laundering, after being found to have cheated financial investors out of billions of dollars. In 2009, he was given a 150-year prison sentence. Madoff died in a federal prison in April 2021, at the age of 82.
Prior to his death, Madoff had asked to be released from prison on grounds that he was living with a terminal illness. “There’s no cure for my type of disease,” he said in an interview with The Washington Post. “I’ve served 11 years already, and, quite frankly, I’ve suffered through it.” His request was ultimately denied.
Ken Hyle, general counsel for the Bureau of Prisons, wrote in the rejection letter, “His condition is considered terminal with a life expectancy of less than 18 months. However, Mr. Madoff is accountable of a loss to investors of over $13 billion. Accordingly, in light of the nature and circumstances of his offense, his release at this time would minimize the severity of his offense.”
Many people were not on-board with the idea of Madoff getting an early release, as one of his victims, Gregg Felsen — who had his savings wiped out in Madoff’s Ponzi scheme — went on the record as being opposed to it. “I never got a break; why should he get a break? He’s terminally ill? I’m terminally broke,” said Felsen. “He ruined a lot of people’s lives and changed them forever. He deserves no leniency whatsoever.”
