Which makes it even more mind-blowing that it went on as long as it did. If it looks too good to be true, it probably is.In 1999, financial analyst Harry Markopolos had informed the SEC that he believed it was legally and mathematically impossible to achieve the gains Madoff claimed to deliver. According to Markopolos, it took him four minutes to conclude that Madoff's numbers did not add up, and another minute to suspect they were fraudulent.[77]
In 1999, financial analyst Harry Markopolos had informed the SEC that he believed it was legally and mathematically impossible to achieve the gains Madoff claimed to deliver. According to Markopolos, it took him four minutes to conclude that Madoff's numbers did not add up, and another minute to suspect they were fraudulent.[77]
The power of wishful thinkingI either read his book or one that featured his conclusions prominently. Amazing that so many smart rich people fell for what was in retrospect an obvious Ponzi scheme, no way anyone could produce the numbers that he did year in and year out.
Rich people didn't fall for it because they were too dumb to know it was crooked. Rich people fell for it because they assumed it was crooked in a way that would defy prosecution, which is what they expect from their financial advisers.Amazing that so many smart rich people fell for what was in retrospect an obvious Ponzi scheme, no way anyone could produce the numbers that he did year in and year out.