<p>I was wondering if Bernie and Ruth planned a very special meal last night as I am sure Bernie knew that once he pled guilty that he was going to the slammer. I bet he got a special order down to Lobel’s for a thick porterhouse. He might start with a nice Cioppino with lobster, clams, and turbot. The hardest question for Bernie last night was what bottle of wine to open for his last meal. I am sure a nice '82 Chateau Margaux would have complemented the meal. </p>
<p>Tonight he gets cold cuts, corn, and an apple.</p>
<p>He’s lucky he’s not eating a knuckle sandwich.</p>
<p>Oh to be a fly on the wall of his brain… He could have made PLENTY of money running a legitimate business over his lifetime. But no, he made the conscience choice to steal. I would have committed suicide if I were him. No way could I imagine going from living the life he did, to the one he will have now.</p>
<p>sue, I was expecting him to kill himself before he went to prison. Could he have possibly expected that he would have gone back home after today’s court appearance??</p>
<p>I think the Margaux pairs very well with the medium rare portehouse. He might have to start with a nice Barolo with the Chiappino. I do not think a Champagne to start would have been appropriate.</p>
<p>What drink goes with a slab of bologna between 2 pieces of white bread? Water, milk, or “bug juice”? Hmmm good! Delicious dinner tonight at his new address.</p>
<p>I’ld also like to see the following answer –</p>
<ol>
<li><p>Politicians on both sides of the aisle who weakened the SEC enforcement. Allowed a broker/dealer to be audited by a two man accounting firm, and have custody and advisement function. </p></li>
<li><p>Enablers – Madoff relatives, hedge funds who knew or should have known better (did they look the other way becuase they thought the returns were generated by front-running).</p></li>
</ol>
<p>I asked DH the same question about why Madoff wouldn’t have committed suicide, and it was his considered the opinion that Madoff is too arrogant to have taken that way out. As I’ve kept hearing his “apology” over and over again, that he is so sorry and ashamed, the former prosecutor in me keeps saying, “yeah, you’re sorry that you got caught.”</p>
<p>Yes, very interesting that he allowed himself to go to jail…since he was the one who told his sons that the jig was up (i.e. was not discovered by the SEC or law enforcement) he and his wife could have easily settled in some country without an extradition treaty with the US…had some costmetic surgery, purchased fake documents…did he not know enough other criminals to be able pull that off?</p>
<p>I think the only ones he feels bad about hurting are his family, and he was afraid that they would be subject to harsher treatment if he were not around.</p>
<p>It seems to me that this whole thing is about protecting the wife and children. I’ve heard from someone involved on the prosecution side that Madoff is making the waters as muddy as humanly possible in order to buy the family some time.</p>