Bernie Madoff: One Year Later - Why He's Counting His Blessings
Bernie Madoff and the Christmas spirit don't quite mix well together. At least not in my book. So I originally ignored the news that he was taken to the hospital for a spell sometime before Christmas in 2009. Rumor was he got a beating while in prison. It was denied, of course, even though it's perfectly plausible.
At first I thought, "Who cares? He got what he deserved." Some party or parties who lost millions probably paid off some guards or inmates in the prison and Bernie took a beating. Couldn't happen to a nicer guy.
I started feeling a little guilty at that point. With Christmas coming, I thought it really wasn't in the spirit of things to be wishing anything bad on anyone. What's done is done and the man's being punished. Justice was served - at least to some extent. It's not like he's out and about enjoying the tree at Rockefeller Center or anything. Besides, he didn't get any of my money.
Then I came across this little bit of news that makes me think maybe Bernie's counting his blessings these days.
It seems that just a few weeks ago the Chinese government executed a gentleman named Yang Yanming. His crime? Embezzlement. He worked in the securities industry and was caught stealing money - about $9.52 million. Madoff's scheme allegedly involved billions.
The Chinese obviously have a different view of what we call "white collar" crimes. When was the last time you saw some executive of Wall Street guy executed for stealing money, misleading the shareholders, or any of the other myriad crimes you can commit with a little creative accounting? Sure, some have gone to prison - some. But no one's being marched through the streets on their way to the guillotine.
I guess the Chinese want to send a message. Their markets are still developing. They're getting rich. They want people to invest in their markets. Are they trying to set a tone over there to reassure investors that if you mess with people's money, you're dead - or something like that?
Of course, I don't know what's on their minds. And given the history of their communist government, executing people isn't something the government agonizes much about. Just read the history of the Chinese communists, especially when Mao Tse Tung took over as party chief in the 1940's - if you have the stomach for it. It's the same party that's in control of the country these days.
And if we're going to continue to do business with China, if China's going to become more rich and powerful in the world, it'd be a good idea to learn something about their history and the history of communist parties who've ruled countries. You want to know who you're dealing with, right?
So now that Bernie's back in prison and I'm wondering if he isn't, after all, counting his blessings. Getting roughed up isn't quite as bad as a bullet to the back of the head (the Chinese preferred method of execution). Of course, Madoff didn't have any Chinese investors that we know of. He was too smart for that. Imagine what the Chinese might have done to Bernie if they got their hands on him?
So now Bernie's back behind bars - alive. After all, this isn't China.
At first I thought, "Who cares? He got what he deserved." Some party or parties who lost millions probably paid off some guards or inmates in the prison and Bernie took a beating. Couldn't happen to a nicer guy.
I started feeling a little guilty at that point. With Christmas coming, I thought it really wasn't in the spirit of things to be wishing anything bad on anyone. What's done is done and the man's being punished. Justice was served - at least to some extent. It's not like he's out and about enjoying the tree at Rockefeller Center or anything. Besides, he didn't get any of my money.
Then I came across this little bit of news that makes me think maybe Bernie's counting his blessings these days.
It seems that just a few weeks ago the Chinese government executed a gentleman named Yang Yanming. His crime? Embezzlement. He worked in the securities industry and was caught stealing money - about $9.52 million. Madoff's scheme allegedly involved billions.
The Chinese obviously have a different view of what we call "white collar" crimes. When was the last time you saw some executive of Wall Street guy executed for stealing money, misleading the shareholders, or any of the other myriad crimes you can commit with a little creative accounting? Sure, some have gone to prison - some. But no one's being marched through the streets on their way to the guillotine.
I guess the Chinese want to send a message. Their markets are still developing. They're getting rich. They want people to invest in their markets. Are they trying to set a tone over there to reassure investors that if you mess with people's money, you're dead - or something like that?
Of course, I don't know what's on their minds. And given the history of their communist government, executing people isn't something the government agonizes much about. Just read the history of the Chinese communists, especially when Mao Tse Tung took over as party chief in the 1940's - if you have the stomach for it. It's the same party that's in control of the country these days.
And if we're going to continue to do business with China, if China's going to become more rich and powerful in the world, it'd be a good idea to learn something about their history and the history of communist parties who've ruled countries. You want to know who you're dealing with, right?
So now that Bernie's back in prison and I'm wondering if he isn't, after all, counting his blessings. Getting roughed up isn't quite as bad as a bullet to the back of the head (the Chinese preferred method of execution). Of course, Madoff didn't have any Chinese investors that we know of. He was too smart for that. Imagine what the Chinese might have done to Bernie if they got their hands on him?
So now Bernie's back behind bars - alive. After all, this isn't China.
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