Madoff

The Final Word

By: Richard Behar

Narrated by: Michael David Axtell, Bernie Madoff

Tthe scale of the deception…beggars belief” (New York Post) in this definitive account of history’s largest—and longest-running—financial fraud by Bernie Madoff by renowned investigative journalist Richard Behar.

Some $68 billion evaporated during Bernie Madoff’s epic confidence game. Two people were driven to suicide in the wake of the Ponzi sheme’s exposure. Others went to prison. But there has never been a satisfying accounting for how Bernie got away with so much, for so long. Until now.

Richard Behar’s relationship with Madoff began in 2011 with a simple email request from the conman. By the time Madoff died in 2021, he had sent Behar more than 300 emails and dozens of handwritten letters, participated in some fifty phone conversations, and sat for three in-person jailhouse interviews—a level of access provided to no other reporter. Behar also established relationships with hundreds of regulators, prosecutors, FBI agents, investors, Wall Street experts, ex-employees of Madoff’s, family members, school classmates, and others.

The result is the final word on the criminal behind history’s most enduring fraud—and on those who believed him, covered for him, or locked him up. Behar illuminates not only the fraud’s origins—decades earlier than Madoff claimed in his confession—but also the complicity of investors, Wall Street insiders, family members, and some of the largest banks in the US and Europe.

Shocking, infuriating, riveting (and at times absurdly funny), Madoff shows us how Bernie ensnared thousands of investors. As Behar’s dogged reporting over the last fifteen years makes clear, however, there aren’t many innocents left standing by the end of this tale. Just about everyone involved is guilty, at a minimum, of humanity’s most consistent weakness: greed.

Fascinating

Fascinating with great details. I couldn’t stop listening. Easy to listen to. I especially liked the ending.

Spectacularly written, honest, and through

This project is about as through and definitive as one could hope for. Incredibly intriguing and honest look into the life one of the most complex fraudulent human beings in human history. I highly recommend this work as a must read.

The phone interviews.

Interesting take on the story. Hard to understand when he was being truthful and if he ever felt remorse for what he did.

Behar Goes Deep

Hearing Bernie Madoff’s own words, along with Behar’s depth of research, makes this book on the Madoff Ponzi a must read and listen.

Good book

Lots of information. My one complaint is I didn’t get this book to hear about someone’s opinion on Trump. Trumps got issues but I didn’t buy this to book to hear about him.