How plumber s son Bernie Madoff went from Wall St. demigod to Ponzi pariah after 2008 crash exposed his scam and saw him arrive at court in bullet-proof vest after ripping off the world s richest
For decades, Bernie Madoff - a former chairman of the Nasdaq stock market - enjoyed an image as a self-made financial guru whose good fortune defied market fluctuations
He attracted a devoted legion of investment clients from Florida retirees to the rich and famous including director Steven Spielberg, actor Kevin Bacon and former New York Mets owner Fred Wilpon
But his investment advisory business was exposed in 2008 as a multibillion-dollar Ponzi scheme that eradicated people s fortunes - both rich and poor - and destroyed charities and foundations worldwide
NYC mayor Bill De Blasio is branded a buffoon for saying it s not a time to dance on grave of Bernie Madoff following his prison death aged 82
Bernie Madoff, who died in prison aged 82 Wednesday, ran the biggest Ponzi scheme in US history, defrauding victims of $64billion
Many of his 37,000 victims lost homes and life savings, and several committed suicide
Both of his two sons who reported him to authorities died after his arrest - Mark of suicide in 2010, and Andrew of lymphoma in 2014
But De Blasio, whose second term ends in November, said it was not the time to dance on a grave
How Bernie Madoff fooled the A-list with promise of double-digit returns: Ponzi schemer s celebrity victims include Steven Spielberg, Kevin Bacon, John Malkovich and New York Mets owner Fred Wilpon
Bernie Madoff robbed 37,000 victims in 136 countries over the course of two decades before he was arrested back in 2008
His victims, large and small, included individuals, charities, pension funds and hedge funds
Among those he betrayed were actors Kevin Bacon and John Malkovich; director Steven Spielberg and New York Mets owner Fred Wilpon
Some victims, including those who could barely afford to invest in the first place, lost their entire life savings and several later committed suicide as a result