The Monster of Wall Street: How much money did Bernie Madoff steal?

A new docuseries about fraudster Bernie Madoff is now streaming on Netflix. The four-parter MADOFF: The Monster of Wall Street was directed by Academy Award nominee Joe Berlinger.

Whether you know the whole story or are just hearing about it for the first time, this is one real-life tale worth “listening” to. Madoff was able to pull off the biggest Ponzi scheme, a form of monetary fraud, in history. The doc features interviews with whistleblowers, employees, investigators, and the investor victims who lost their money because of him, according to the streaming service.

You can also expect to see how he became such an influential Wall Street statesman, his fraudulent investment business, and those who chose to turn a blind eye to what he was doing. Plus, as you’ll learn, he may not have done all the work alone.

Pulling off the biggest Ponzi scheme in history,  just how much money was Madoff able to get his hands on? We’ve got the answer for you below.

How much money did Bernie Madoff steal?

The fraudster stole an estimated $64.8 billion from thousands of investors! Yes. Billion. According to Reuters, the schemer said he began defrauding people in the early ’90s, but in court, an ex-trader admitted he faked records for Madoff since the early ’70s. About $14 billion was recovered and returned to investors, but the remaining funds have not yet been found. The Madoff Recovery Initiative continues searching for the rest of the money to help victims recover.

What was Bernie Madoff’s sentence?

Madoff pleaded guilty to 11 felonies, and on June 29, 2009, he was sentenced to 150 years in prison. So how was he caught? In December 2008, the schemer’s sons, Mark and Andrew, told authorities he had confessed what he was doing to them. On December 11 of that year, the FBI arrested and charged Madoff.

The Monster of Wall Street served almost 12 years of his sentence before passing away on April 14, 2021, in a North Carolina prison due to his failing health. He was 82 years old.

MADOFF: The Monster of Wall Street is now streaming on Netflix.