Poll: Is Madoff's sentence too rough?

[SultanP]

It's just money...
I think it's too much.
Give him 5-10 years and, if he's lucky, he'll still have a few years with his family.

It's just money?
What kind of statement is that? We live in a society in which money is everything. If you have no money you cannot get the following at a decent standard: Food, water, a home, an education, entertainment articles (books, games, computers, internet, etc.), transportation, electricity, and many other things.
So if you had no "just money" what would you do? Live in a shelter and eat horrible food? Really, moeney is everything these days, and most importantly it gives a sense of security because you know that if you have money, you can get what you need to get by and feel good.

 

[Skeleon]

*snip*

It's "just money" in the sense that it can be recompensated.
A lost limb or even a life cannot.

Also, you thinking that money is the most important thing in this society is kind of sad.
And a feeling of security? Hah.

 

[ssgt splatter]

Well he's 71 I believe, so 150? That's...a little...too much.

 

[Player 2]

I think he's pretty awesome really. I mean, 65 billion. Damn.

 

[cowbell40]

I don't feel that a man who "stole" 65 Million should get off "scott free" in any sense of the word but sending a 71 year old man to prison for 150 years strikes me as just odd. Just execute him if you want him dead that badly...

Look, it's not about wanting him dead, and they didn't just give him some arbitrarily large amount of years. The many individual frauds he committed were not individually worthy of the death penalty/life in prison, but their prison terms stack up, thus adding to 150 years.

 

[Martymer]

Too harsh. I don't get why some countries give such long sentences. I get life, but I don't get something like 150 years. Nor do I get something like 30 years, even if the person receiving it is young. When he gets out, he's fucked. He's never gonna get a job, never be able to start a family... He might as well have gotten life, because that would be more humane (yet it's considered a worse punishment???). IMO, it should be like, anything over 10 or 15 years -> life.

He was convicted of 20 or so ~10 year crimes (Those aren't the actual numbers, but you get the idea). The punishments stack.

I understand that. My point still remains the same. Either give him a sentence that will allow him to return to society as a reformed man (yeah, that may seem naive, but note that I said "allow", not "make"), or give him life. IMO, the idea that sentences should be added together is just stupid. Multiple counts of fraud should, IMO, add up to one count of "really fucking serious fraud". Not to murder. I don't care how much you steal. It's just money.

It's just money...
I think it's too much.
Give him 5-10 years and, if he's lucky, he'll still have a few years with his family.

It's just money?
What kind of statement is that? We live in a society in which money is everything. If you have no money you cannot get the following at a decent standard: Food, water, a home, an education, entertainment articles (books, games, computers, internet, etc.), transportation, electricity, and many other things.
So if you had no "just money" what would you do? Live in a shelter and eat horrible food? Really, moeney is everything these days, and most importantly it gives a sense of security because you know that if you have money, you can get what you need to get by and feel good.

Yeah. "Just money". Without it, I'd still live. And I wouldn't be without it, even if all I had was stolen. I'd still have enough to get by, because I live in the 21st century, in a civilized society that doesn't say "too fucking bad, you're on your own". And I'm not even talking about wellfare. If nothing else, I have friends and family that I can at least borrow money from if I lost everything because of something like this. Besides, how the fuck could anyone lose their money like this?!?! It's called insurance, people!

*snip*

It's "just money" in the sense that it can be recompensated.
A lost limb or even a life cannot.

Also, you thinking that money is the most important thing in this society is kind of sad.
And a feeling of security? Hah.

What this guy said.

 

[HyenaThePirate]

To those who say "he deserves this because these people trusted him and he screwed them" I advise you to NEVER invest your money in anything because quite frankly, all investments are pretty much some kind of "scam". Nothing is garunteed. And I'm not quite certain I like the implication that it is some sort of "heinous" act to take advantage of the STUPID. THe mentally challenged? sure.. but people who honestly thought THEY would get rich quick without any hard work by buying into HIS nonsense DESERVED to get ripped-off and should each be given 5% of his 'sentence'.

I'm sick of our "victim" society, where everyone is a victim of circumstance, or environment, or whatever the convenient excuse may be. If I go to vegas and gamble my money away, if I leave broke, it's MY FAULT for being stupid enough to gamble my money away. Same situation here... If you aren't smart enough to follow your finances, research what you are doing, and demand intense documentation to scrutinize carefully before investing tons of your money into some guy's "program", that is your fault for being a moron. It's like people who don't bother to read contracts or EULAs, knowing FULL WELL how many people have been burned on that shit, and yet you still hear of morons crying big fat crocodile tears because they got smoked on a section of fine print they neglected to read.

People need to take responsibility for their own failures and while it's convenient to blame one guy, maybe even give you a small sense of "justice" the real crime is that it excuses ignorant people from learning valuable lessons about educating themselves and NOT being morons who fall for "get rich quick" schemes.

We all should be reminded of one thing however...

"If everyone in the world was SMART, NOBODY would make any money."

 

[Rajin Cajun]

They could just say "you're sentenced to die in prison"
that would suffice

Based on the fact they are not publicizing the actual facility he will be visiting for the next 150 years, I believe they already expect that to happen. Just not of natural causes.

Yeah my Uncle used to be a guard in a Prison Facility in Utah. You could get prisoners whacked for a pack of cigarettes. I can't imagine how many prisoners will be leaping to stab Madoff especially since some of his richer clients could make a comfortable life for someone who did.

 

[Rajin Cajun]

I don't feel that a man who "stole" 65 Million should get off "scott free" in any sense of the word but sending a 71 year old man to prison for 150 years strikes me as just odd. Just execute him if you want him dead that badly...

It was 65 BILLION not million. This case was enormous and he got what he deserved.

 

[JanatUrlich]

It sickens me how people get so much less for murder

My mum works in a high security prison here in England, and she says that most Category A prisoners are high profile fraudsters and murderers are in lower Categories.

What the hell is wrong with the world? D= We seem to have gotten our priorities a bit muddled

 

[supermaster1337]

Where is the innocent button. XD

 

[Crimsane]

Even if it was only one year per life savings ruined, he's still at least a few hundred years short of what he deserves.

 

[101194]

If you have been living under a rock http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/06/29/madoff-sentencing-today_n_222110.html

I think that that this a good example so that white collar criminals won't get it off easy any more. What do you think?

I'm still on the fence.

 

[Broken Orange]

Firstly, this has been done before [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/18.121955]. Secondly, the guy did ruins hundreds of peoples lives, so he does deserve a harsh sentence. Maybe the rest of his life is to harsh but frankly thats a matter of opinion. Theres no absolute moral law we can base this off, just our own feelings.

EDIT: That poll should really have a 'Maybe' option.

First of all, what is differnt about this post is that this one has a poll.

Secondly, I didn't have a 'maybe' option because i don't want anyone who is on the fence voting. Plus it is too late now to add that option now.

 

[RelexCryo]

I think the jerk Madoff got what he deserved.

 

[dalek sec]

No, bastard ruined so many lives out of greed and I'm glad the judge threw the book at this asshole. Have fun in federal prison buddy.