How long a prison sentence could Madoff really outlive?
Predicting how long convicted Ponzi schemer Bernard L. Madoff will live is a macabre science. Bets, anyone? Before we put any money on this one, let’s take a look at the data. Madoff is 71 years old, an age that isn’t as ancient as it once was. Living to be 100 is noteworthy to be sure, but no longer eye-catching news. Federal Judge Denny Chin sentenced the “psycho” fraudster to a maximum prison term of 150 years, which means he will have plenty of time to catch up on his reading, not to mention reruns of “Everybody Loves Raymond,” and will be 221 years old when he’s released in the year 2159. He won’t recognize the world when he gets out – except, of course, that the cryogenically preserved Andy Spano will still be county executive. OK, I know it’s absurd to think that Madoff could survive a 150-year stretch. But absurdity apparently has no limits when it comes to the criminal justice system and its sentencing requirements. Chin also had to impose three years of supervised release for
