Bernie Madoff Is Not Signing Autographs for Other Prisoners

The take from lawyers who have visited Bernie Madoff in prison is that he thinks he is the big man in the joint. He thinks he carries a mystique.

"He won't sign autographs for other prisoners," attorney Nancy Fineman of Cotchett, Pitre and McCarthy told me in an exclusive EconomicPolicyJournal.com interview. She says he is afraid they will end up on Ebay.

Fineman, who visited Madoff at the Butner, NC, federal prison where he is serving his 150 year sentence, says he looks different than in his pictures. His hair is shorter and he is thinner. She said he was complaining about his ankles swelling.

I asked if he looked depressed, Fineman said "No", then added, "Well, he's an actor. That's how he was able to do what he did, who knows what he is feeling."

She also added, "From what I hear, prison wears on you, so we'll see what he looks like when I visit him again in six months."

Fineman's firm represents Madoff victims and is suing organizations, including KPMG, Bank of New York and JP Morgan, that they believe are somewhat culpable for missing obvious signs of Madoff's fraud.

I asked her if they might sue New York Mets owner Fred Wilpon or his organization, since reports indicate he received more funds from Madoff than he originally put in. She told me that she is aware of the situation and found it interesting, but wouldn't go into any further details on the topic.