Here's a look at the life of Bernard Madoff, serving 150 years in prison for running a multi-billion dollar Ponzi scheme.
Personal: Birth date: April 29, 1938
Birth place: Queens, New York
Birth name: Bernard Lawrence Madoff
Father: Ralph Madoff
Mother: Sylvia (Muntner) Madoff
Marriage: Ruth (Alpern) Madoff (November 1959-present)
Children: Andrew, April 1966; Mark, March 1964-December 11, 2010
Education: Hofstra University, B.A. Political Science, 1960
Other Facts: Started his firm with $5,000 he saved from working as a lifeguard.
Madoff served as NASDAQ's chairman in 1990, 1991, and 1993.
Had many high-profile victims, including director Steven Spielberg, actors Kevin Bacon and Kyra Sedgwick, and New York Mets owner Fred Wilpon.
Timeline: 1960 - Bernard L. Madoff Investment Securities is founded.
December 10, 2008 - Bernard Madoff allegedly confesses to employees of his company that the asset management portion of his firm is actually a large Ponzi scheme. Madoff says the business had lost about $50 billion and that he plans to turn himself in to authorities in a week.
December 11, 2008 - Madoff is arrested on one count of securities fraud for allegedly operating a multibillion-dollar Ponzi scheme from his investment advisory business. He is released on $10 million bail.
December 12, 2008 - A federal court in Manhattan issues a temporary order freezing Madoff's assets and appointing a receiver over him and his firm.
December 17, 2008 - Madoff is placed on house arrest. Several bids by prosecutors to jail Madoff are denied by the court.
February 9, 2009 - The SEC and Madoff reach a partial settlement agreement. Under the terms of the deal, Madoff will keep a previously reached agreement to freeze his assets and not to violate any other securities laws. This is separate from the criminal charge Madoff faces.
March 12, 2009 - Madoff pleads guilty to eleven felony charges including: money laundering, perjury, false filings with the SEC and fraud. There is no deal with the government associated with the guilty plea. -- U.S. District Court Judge Denny Chin orders Madoff to Metropolitan Correctional Center following his confession.
March 20, 2009 - An appeals court rules that Madoff will remain in jail until sentencing.
April 1, 2009 - Federal marshals seize Madoff's yacht, a smaller boat, and one of his homes in Florida as court-ordered seizures of the financier's assets begin.
June 29, 2009 - Madoff is sentenced to 150 years in prison.
July 14, 2009 - Madoff arrives at Butner Federal Correction Complex in North Carolina to begin serving his sentence.
October 2, 2009 - A $199 million lawsuit is filed against Madoff's brother, Peter, Madoff's two sons, Andrew and Mark, and Madoff's niece, Shana, who all worked at Madoff's firm.
December 11, 2010 - Mark Madoff, 46, commits suicide in his Manhattan apartment.
