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Executive Summary, Investigation of Failure of the SEC to Uncover Bernard Madoff's Ponzi Scheme

Report of Investigation, United States Securites and Exchange Commission Office of Inspector General, Case No. OIG-509 Investigation of Failure of the SEC To Uncover Bernard Madoff’s Ponzi Scheme, August 31, 2009.

  • Executive Summary: “The OIG investigation did not find evidence that any SEC personnel who worked on an SEC examination or investigation of Bernard L. Madoff Investment Securities, LLC (BMIS) had any financial or other inappropriate connection with Bernard Madoff or the Madoff family that influenced the conduct of their examination or investigatory work…The OIG investigation did find, however, that the SEC received more than ample information in the form of detailed and substantive complaints over the years to warrant a thorough and comprehensive examination and/or investigation of Bernard Madoff and BMIS for operating a Ponzi scheme, and that despite three examinations and two investigations being conducted, a thorough and competent investigation or examination was never performed. The OIG found that between June 1992 and December 2008 when Madoff confessed, the SEC received six! substantive complaints that raised significant red flags concerning Madoffs hedge fund operations and should have led to questions about whether Madoff was actually engaged in trading. Finally, the SEC was also aware oftwo articles regarding Madoffsinvestment operations that appeared in reputable publications in 2001 and questioned Madoffs unusually consistent returns.”
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