Madoff victims plead for life sentence

CALLING him a “murderer” and a “monster”, more than 100 victims of Wall Street swindler Bernard Madoff have asked the judge, who will sentence him on June 29 for the maximum sentence.

A total of 113 victims of the fraud have written letters and emails to US District Judge Denny Chin, almost all calling for a life prison term and some demanding even further punishment.

The judge could sentence Madoff, 71, to up to 150 years in prison. The former chairman of the Nasdaq stock exchange operated the fraud for decades, conning investors into depositing billions of dollars that were then used to pay fictitious returns. He was originally due to be sentenced yesterday.