ABSTRACT
This introduction presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book introduces a sample of Bernard Madoff's American victims, relies mostly on the letters and e-mails 167 individuals wrote in their efforts to affect the court's treatment of Madoff during his criminal trial. Madoff's crime can best be understood as a large and far-reaching con game. A Ponzi scheme is just one among many types of con games, some of whose machinations, if not the name, are recognizable. Another con game is the "Spanish Prisoner", wherein the con man tells the mark or victim that he is in correspondence with a wealthy person, who is, under a false identity, in difficulty—captured, kidnapped, or imprisoned—held against his or her will. The book looks at the victims as they begin to mobilize beyond the court, relies not only on legal proceedings and transcripts, but also on government documents and publications.
