The Madoff Investment Scandal

The Madoff Investment Scandal involved Bernie Madoff, who operated one of the largest and most infamous Ponzi schemes in history. He promised consistent, high returns to investors but was actually using new investors’ money to pay existing ones, rather than generating genuine profits. Over decades, he accumulated about $65 billion in fake investments. When the scheme collapsed in 2008, thousands of investors lost their savings, totaling billions of dollars. The scandal exposed significant regulatory failures and led to Madoff’s arrest, conviction, and a 150-year prison sentence. It remains a stark example of the dangers of unregulated investment schemes.