4 of 7
Bernie Madoff's ponzi scheme
- Estimated losses: $20 billion
Bernie Madoff robbed thousands of investors of $20 billion through the most notorious Ponzi scheme in history.
He pleaded guilty to charges of fraud, and was sentenced to 150 years in federal prison.
His son Mark hanged himself in 2010, on the second anniversary of his father's arrest. Madoff blamed himself for his son's death.
- Last updated October 14 2015 12:23 PM ET
