I read her book. I feel it's genuine. However, one thing did stick out to me that was the only negative thing about Stephanie Madoff. I know many reviewers thought she was self serving, all about her, yada yada. That was somewhat true, but this is the reason those feelings in readers occured IMO. I feel Mark Madoff was suffering real depression when this all broke, and I think Stephanie (just by the words/story she told it as) expected Mark to just "snap" out of it quickly and move on. I got that feeling throughout the book. I'm not sure if Stephanie Madoff really understood how sick Mark was getting mentally, and really needed help, professional help. I'm not blaming Stephanie for what happened, but I felt there was a real disconnect with her about what happened to the Madoff family. This was huge beyond anyone's imagination. There were times reading this book I felt that Stephanie felt he should "just get over it" and let's move on with our fairytale lifestyle. She new every outfit she wore on their outings and what he wore, what he ate, things normal people do not dwell on. To me it was very childish and over the top. It may have been easier for her to move on, it wasn't her father that committed this horrible crime, but I think she didn't grasp the severity of the situation. If she did, she didn't get the point across very well. I don't know if she really understood what Mark was feeling, she seemed only concerned about where they could go to dinner and how many trips could they take to their multiple homes to get away. Not once did I feel Stephanie understood that her lifestyle was financed by stolen money.
@@yorocco1 Thanks. I wrote that review over a year ago now. Just reread what I wrote. My opinion hasn't changed. In short, I still feel Stephanie just "didn't get it". She was concerned about her life, but in honesty, I think most everyone would. We get used to things, and when a bomb hits you, you worry about your life. That is why I don't completely blame her for maybe some selfishness. I believe we would all do that. Your comment on my post makes me wonder how she is doing now. I don't think much is said about her. I feel for her children. They don't deserve this. In further thinking, make no mistake. Stephanie Madoff is a very spoiled selfish little girl. The fact she barred Ruth from her own son's funeral tells me everything I need to know about Stephanie Madoff. She may not realize it, but she blamed Ruth for her husband's suicide, because Ruth was the only one left standing. I fully realize Mark was angry with his mother and didn't want to see her. But he did not commit suicide (IMO) because of her. It was because of his father. Mark had deep seeded problems, and it was all around what his father did. Stephanie took her anger out on Ruth. Barring her from her own son's funeral was cruel. Stephanie was only thinking of herself, which is demonstrated throughout her whole book. There were times I never understood what Mark Madoff saw in her to marry her. She is a selfish person. At times reading the book I thought Stephanie viewed Mark as a personal possession and piggy bank. I don't understand the connection he had to her. She seems very materialistic all throughout the book.
Evil ?? Seriously the corruption of the American government and its officials is the greatest scam ever The minim wage is the biggest scam - Of course he should not have done it - it was insane to feel so squeezed they should have moved someplace peaceful she is so shallow for going on TV shows - and blaming his father - I guess we all have to pick up pieces
For all of you claiming that she's a gold digger; like seriously? She's got two kids to raise in a country that will blame their mother and dead father for everything that Madoff did, so how else is she to support them? I mean, who's gonna hire this woman for any job paying a living wage? I'd rather see her hawking her book on t.v. then trying to get welfare.
Amen. People are so fucking stupid. His sons turned him in and people still said they had a part in the schemes. Why would they ruin their own families lives by ending the money train? So dumb.
Casey Marie I believe they worked in a legitimate stocks and shares business separate from their fathers scheme. I do however believe Ruth knew, it seems to strange that she withdrew 15 million $ one day before bernie confessed, it went straight into her own personal accounts, and she was one of the very very few people that were allowed on the 17th floor of the lipstick building that was bernies office. Just my opinion though, not everyone believes she knew
She married a handsome, wealthy guy, who was only 10 years older, and she obviously loves him still. That’s hardly a gold digger. I think of a gold digger as someone who marries an old man or some short toad with bucks. Gold digger couples look absurd together-Stephanie and Mark looked normal.
@@rowanbowyer6560 I agree to your statement about Ruth. I´ve done a lot of reading about this case, and something is just rotten, when it comes to Ruth, and some of the things she said.
Why all the judging? So much hating for someone who's family is going through hell. Read her book. I have the audio version from the public library. It's her voice doing the reading. It's haunting and honest and courageous.
GorgieClarissa what do you mean you ignorant piece of shit! She's simply stating her opinion not facts, so why do you say she doesn't know what she's talking about? Your a real big man calling a woman the "C" word! Your nothing but a loser who's probably uglier than God know what and has nothing to do but hide behind your computer and troll! Get a life!
I could be ashamed of my father without taking my life - those children would be my light to continue so I could show them the right path to take. I wouldn’t have allowed Bernie to take control of my being. It’s sad.
You should see someone about that condition - the "I" disease. I would do this. I would do that. I wouldn't have allowed, etc. Want to lecture anyone else about what they should've done in situations you've never been in? We're all ears.
She is a reptile. He married a divorced father of two. All these maddoff members our sad that the ride is over. They loved the idea of being rich on the up and up. But, I think they were comfortable with some ill gotten gains. When the gravity of the crimes were apparent, then they do interviews on how sad it is. They r all liars. And yes, Ruth had figured it out. Be careful, there r many more liars than u know. Not to mention robin roberts who closes the interview by thanking this lady and telling her how many people she has helped. 🤮🤮🤮🤮. Here is another good one: the courts let Ruth keep 2.5 million to live off. Heaven forbid she works a real job. All the while she was stashing jewelry and valuables from confiscation.
Stephanie Mikesell is the reason her husband committed suicide. She took the kids and abandoned him when he needed her most. She kept millions from selling property. Now she's selling a book to profit off his death. No worries, i'm sure she's comfortable living on the fruit of the fraud, playing victim and blaming others.
*This MAN had a BeautiuFULL WIFE & KIDS & was Innocent & Had an InCome; IF there is!!!!* *a GOD, then this SeLf Centered CoWard is in God's PLace of DamNation For ALL Eternity!!!*
Such a sad story. I feel for her so much, you can see how much she's hurting. There are a lot of men in the world like Bernie Madoff. The amount of money doesn't make a difference. It's how they seem intent on ruining everyone around them, especially those who loved him the most.
Such a beautiful woman and two such beautiful children. If I had a family like that I wouldn't have left them. I'd have stayed around for no other reason than to watch my son and daughter grow up.
You are speaking for yourself! I think Mark was so consumed by what his father had done that he fell into a deep depression and wasn't thinking clearly, he felt the only way to stop the pain was to kill himself. Given more time he may have been able to heal from this tragedy and go in with his life.
Every interview with her I feel sad for her. She seems genuine and sad. I am by no means dismissing the immense loss the victims endured. I mean, losing tons of money is devastating. But losing the love of your life and father of your children is arguably worse. No winners in this story.
I have to wonder where you are from. Shes a gold digger blond that didnt get her way. If she is willing to get a job, she will be able to pay rent again. Just not in her spoiled mansion
Mark and Andrew had wives who supported them at this dramatic moment, Ruth was left alone. Her sons, and especially their wives, had no right to expect anything from her. It was their duty to support her. She was their mother and their father's wife for many many years. They had no sympathy for her, their feelings were the most important. They didn't try to understand her, they gave her an ultimatum. She didn't feel sorry for her mother-in-law who lost her husband, money and good name, so I don't believe she felt sorry for those people who lost millions because of Bernie's fraud. They left her alone with this tragedy. CRUEL !!
You are so brave and strong Stephanie, Thank you for sharing your story to the public. Wishing you the best of good health and your kids, take care and God bless!
Stephanie Mikesell is the reason her husband committed suicide. She took the kids and abandoned him when he needed her most. She kept millions from selling property. Now she's selling a book to profit off his death. No worries, i'm sure she's comfortable living on the fruit of the fraud, playing victim and blaming others.
This is long ago now but I just read the book. I was so moved by it. It was well written and few of us can fathom the pain she must have been through. Her spreading of the ashes was such a heartbreaking read and so respectfully done. There are some good people in this world with their heart in the right place, and stephanie must be one of them.
Thank you for sharing your voice …not easy but you are strong and time will help you and love ones. Robbie you are such a Profesional and compassionate person. Love you. Be blessed always.
Funny how these women who fall in love with guys like this..."for his sensitivity" ... don't fall in love with sensitive truck drivers or construction workers.
Why would a man with 2 toddlers kill himself? it is so very selfish, he had lots of life left to live and to reclaim. he had a wife that adored him. Start over dude and move away, go out and do something, anything to get yourself on your feet again. Go to Europe or something, move away, become a new person. his mom Ruth is doing that and she's surviving in spite if her complicitness. Geez at least live for your kids.
It’s not selfish.,people who commit suicide are not selfish. They are stuck and can’t see a way through the darkness, fear, depression, embarrassment, shame. Whatever it is their feeling. Just don’t call them selfish because they can’t see past the fear and depression to feel selfish.
I hope she can find it in her heart to forgive. Sounds crazy but, you can't change what has happened. Why carry that with you. Set yourself free. God loves you
God does not love us, or he'd have given us the final cure for cancer centuries ago. That psycho sits back, sips on a beer, and watches innocent children die horrific deaths due to cancer every day - yet an "all-powerful" entity could give us the cure. A real piece of work, your god is.
She knew, she was enjoying the dirty money... These families are all the same. As long as they keep their lavish lifestyle they don't question where the money is coming from
She is a brave woman and its too bad Mark committed suicide..He could have moved on and been ok...I feel for the children. Shes a real catch and I hope she finds someone to share her life with ...
Her husband wasn’t ready to talk to his mom, but it wasn’t going to be forever and the only one who knew he was going to commit suicide was mark. I guess I still don’t understand why she kept Ruth from attending her sons funeral? She herself said Ruth was innocent and loved her son. The son said his dad had stolen his life. The wealth? And he couldn’t find a job, or the type of jobs that paid what he wanted but he had 16+ million. He had been blessed with so much and so much to live for but couldn’t see it. The father did wrong and paid for it but he did raise two good sons.
This is so sad and tragic. What Stephanie has gone through and the children without their father. What one person can do that affects so many other innocent people.😢s
I don't think Ruth is guilty either. She didn't even know what it meant when she was told. She was old school and everything was her husband. Prayers for this family.
Felt bad for her….but the official believes that the sons knew something that’s why the trustees filed a lawsuit of fiduciary negligent against these people. Please don’t feel bad for them….thousands of victims… you all should feel sorry for…..
I doubt Mark and Andrew knew what Madoff was doing. He was a narcissist, he wouldn't share that information with them, exactly because of what happened. He lost the respect, love, and admiration of his family. God bless Stephanie and her children. They shouldn't be held accountable for something that they had no clue about nor had anything to do with. In the end, we can say they knew or didn't but we are just assuming which is not the equivalent of the truth.
People knew. Bernie's brother assisted him in the scam. However, the scam took place on one floor and apparently the sons were never allowed on that floor. Allegedly that was a reason for the tension between the sons and Bernie, because he never allowed them in that part of the business and they thought it was lack of confidence in their abilities. But I'm more likely to believe Ruth knew than they did. She's an enigma to me. You have to understand that this was a guy who even swindled his own assistant. She worked closer to him than anyone and she didn't know and he took her life savings too. He had no soul. I also think that some of his business partners should have known, but he cut anyone from his fund whenever they started asking questions and then both the world's top accounting firms and SEC audited him and kept saying he was legit. Kinda hard to believe he's a crook when everyone who should know said he wasn't.
No it’a not off. It’s just like husbands that two separate families for years. He never talked to his family about his side of the business. His family shouldn’t be demonized because he was a narcissistic sociopath. To the day he still doesn’t feel remorse, he feels sorry for himself. His family has suffered enough. Both of his sons are gone now, one to suicide and one to cancer.
*This MAN had a BeautiuFULL WIFE & KIDS & was Innocent & Had an InCome; IF there is!!!!* *a GOD, then this SeLf Centered CoWard is in God's PLace of DamNation For ALL Eternity!!!*
Stephanie Madoff comes off very genuine. 3:30 I don't think Ruth Madoff knew about it. Her husband probably played the game and realized it would be better for her if she knew nothing about it. 5:18 She has a slight breakdown. 5:28 She's a broken woman.
*This MAN had a BeautiuFULL WIFE & KIDS & was Innocent & Had an InCome; IF there is!!!!* *a GOD, then this SeLf Centered CoWard is in God's PLace of DamNation For ALL Eternity!!!*
But Ruth got allocated 2m dollars to live on...... So she can't plead poverty.... Unlike some of the victims...... I'll never see a 100k dollars at one time let alone 2m...!!!!!!
I have no understanding what Bernie did to his poor children, their wives and their children. I guess all of us don't. I wouldn't have nothing to do with Ruth, she stood by her husband over her innocent sons and their families. She is just as despicable as her evil husband. You have such courage to soldier on after all you have been through. Bless you 🙏.
The 🕛 is now 2021. 10 yrs after this show & a little after Madoff passed away in prison. Stephanie is a very attractive 😍 woman 👱♀️. My condolences to her being widow & child being orphan, but I know NO MAN is going to let this FINE LOOKING Girl walk the Earth Without Implying "🎵 I wanna get close to you 🎶 " & may had even married her
She seems very fake and happy that she is unaffected. No widow smiles so bright and happy with all the hair and stuff when talking about so much tragedy. Also apparently she is living with her mother in law who she said she would;d never talk to again. Fake.
_ the trembling in hEr voice .. 😔 🥀 💔.. Lord help aLl whose hurting.... MR. BeRniE is hurting, tOo... All this thing of not 4giving will only hurt them more.... but in tiMe 🙏..
It wasnt the money. That is WAY too simplistic. More than anything BM loved the status and the power. Everyone saw him as a big man. He was wealthy for year's BEFORE he started his ponzi scheme. He didn't do it for money.
She was not really supportive of her depressed husband she took their two children with her on a trip to Hawaii and left him at home alone and depressed in their empty apartment. That was when his second attempt at suicide succeeded. I have very little sympathy for this woman. She also refused to allow his mother to be at her son's funeral. So what she married into extreme wealth and then it was gone, it was never really hers. Bernie Madoff played with the money of very wealthy people and they did get a lot of it back. Her husband is the one I feel for he must have suffered terribly. He was hit from all angles.I'm convinced Bernie Madoff played it close to his chest he would never have let his family know he wasn't the magnificent revered investment king they all adored. He has said now in jail he feels more peaceful than ever before. Sie la vie!
So wrong of Stephanie to refuse to let her children see their Grandmother Ruth!!! We ALL make bad choices Stephanie! So wrong you are raising them to cut off family who loves them!
A real sad story. They were a beautiful couple and they lost it all because of Bernie Matoff.I feel so sorry for her losing her husband like this through suicide. May God give her strength. I HOPE her family and herself will get through this HORRIBLE ORDEAL.
La situation tragique qu'il y a après cette histoire. Je viens de suivre le film la peine que j'ai non ce n'est pas possible. Vivre ça en verité oh non, l'horreur par le quel sont passés les proches c'est plus que l'enfer.
They didn't know. That's easy to believe. It was a totally separate business AND his legitimate business was very successful. If they( Mark and Andrew) knew it makes no sense WHY they would stop speaking to their own MOTHER for 2 yrs because she stuck by him. Bernie kept them in the dark on purpose. They were wealthy for yrs before he started the ponzi scheme in '91. Marks suicide note said "I hope you know what you did Dad. Eff u". They def DIDNT know.
It seems as though this story is in the news again because of the Dreyfuss and DeNiro movies and after watching both I walked away thinking no way did his son's know what was going on but today, I watched an interview that Katie Couric did with some of the victims after the verdict and one victim said that Bernie would be out of the office for months at a time and left Andy and Mark to run the business so how could they not know??? With both of them gone, I don't think anyone will ever know for sure but I do feel for these innocent people who lost so much.
This is why trust fund kids are weak and not built for real life. A coward kills himself when he has a family. And an idiot only doesn't know where his daddy gets his money
I find it hard to fathom because no traders at all on the 17th floor. Like they never talk about it at all???? The 30% outrageous return??? They are in the industry and they never smaller rat?
B.S. innocent people don't kill themselves, if he was truly innocent, we would fight to clear his name and help his fathers victims, but he took the easy way out
I don't want to come off as judging but I do think about the fact that this man was a privileged wealthy, white male his whole life. I wonder if he was one of those wealthy elite who love to look down at poor minorities and say they need to "just pull themselves up by their bootstraps" and they don't "want success bad enough" without ever knowing what struggle real people go through on a day-to-day basis. Now the rug is pulled out from under you and all your wealth and status is gone. If the above was his life, he would have no resilience to handle that. I never think of people who commit suicide as "weak," just people who are in pain, but this guy probably had no resilience. He probably had never been told "no" in his life, probably went around saying "I'm Bernie Madoff's son," and then being ushered right in to the best tables. He worked for his father's company--did he even HAVE a freakin resume typed up? He was never going to be fired and probably didn't need to work if he had been. Then all of that is gone in an instant. If you've never had hardship some people might not be able to take that if they have no reserves built up.
Nantucket is the place she loves most...? Oh really? Natucket is part of Martha's Vineyard and possibly the area with the richest people worldwide. So Mack has still enough money to be part of that scene...? Everybody should make up his mind about the fact! I DO NOT believe a second she, her mother-in-law and her husband are innocent! Make the whole filthy Madoff-clan stand against a wall...!!!
It doesn't matter what you believe. It only matters what can be proved. That's how the system of justice operates in this country. Innocent until PROVEN guilty, remember? No one in this country should be advocating for the judicial punishment of a US citizen with no evidence; without even an arrest. That's barbarism. The system may not be perfect, but it's certainly better than the alternative you're presenting, which is anyone can be arrested and punished on a hunch or whim. It's what the Nazis did. It's what Idi Amin, Gaddafi, the KGB and all dictatorships did. It's what Iran and North Korea still proudly do. Is that what you want the US to be? North Korea? Where you can be executed just because the leader doesn't like you? You want us to descend into that level of injustice simply because you don't like a bunch of greedy assholes? This is exactly the time, and these are exactly the people you preserve the laws for. It's easy to preserve the laws for the good people of society, but principles only mean something when you stick to them when they're inconvenient. You either have principles or you don't. Neither the situation nor the individuals involved can change that.
What she should do is give 90% of the profits / advances she receives from this book to a childrens hospital to show she is not profiting from her father in laws criminality.
It never ceases to amaze me how people are so quick to judge others when (i) they weren’t even remotely involved with the people or events the subject of their judgment, (ii) they have never walked ten feet-let alone a mile-in that person’s shoes, and (iii) their judgment flies in the face of of the results of one of the most intensive investigations ever that found not one piece of evidence that Madoff’s family was aware of his activities. Stop & think for a minute about the thousands, if not millions, of women who lived relatively comfortable lives for decades while their husbands were alive. These same women became destitute after their husbands died and they learned for the first time their husbands had put the family deeply in debt to finance those comfortable lives.
People are cruel. My heart goes out to her and children
I read her book. I feel it's genuine. However, one thing did stick out to me that was the only negative thing about Stephanie Madoff. I know many reviewers thought she was self serving, all about her, yada yada. That was somewhat true, but this is the reason those feelings in readers occured IMO. I feel Mark Madoff was suffering real depression when this all broke, and I think Stephanie (just by the words/story she told it as) expected Mark to just "snap" out of it quickly and move on. I got that feeling throughout the book. I'm not sure if Stephanie Madoff really understood how sick Mark was getting mentally, and really needed help, professional help. I'm not blaming Stephanie for what happened, but I felt there was a real disconnect with her about what happened to the Madoff family. This was huge beyond anyone's imagination. There were times reading this book I felt that Stephanie felt he should "just get over it" and let's move on with our fairytale lifestyle. She new every outfit she wore on their outings and what he wore, what he ate, things normal people do not dwell on. To me it was very childish and over the top. It may have been easier for her to move on, it wasn't her father that committed this horrible crime, but I think she didn't grasp the severity of the situation. If she did, she didn't get the point across very well. I don't know if she really understood what Mark was feeling, she seemed only concerned about where they could go to dinner and how many trips could they take to their multiple homes to get away. Not once did I feel Stephanie understood that her lifestyle was financed by stolen money.
Very well-written response! Particularly the last sentence. It seems that many in the family can compartmentalize as long as they had their lifestyle.
@@yorocco1 Thanks. I wrote that review over a year ago now. Just reread what I wrote. My opinion hasn't changed. In short, I still feel Stephanie just "didn't get it". She was concerned about her life, but in honesty, I think most everyone would. We get used to things, and when a bomb hits you, you worry about your life. That is why I don't completely blame her for maybe some selfishness. I believe we would all do that. Your comment on my post makes me wonder how she is doing now. I don't think much is said about her. I feel for her children. They don't deserve this. In further thinking, make no mistake. Stephanie Madoff is a very spoiled selfish little girl. The fact she barred Ruth from her own son's funeral tells me everything I need to know about Stephanie Madoff. She may not realize it, but she blamed Ruth for her husband's suicide, because Ruth was the only one left standing. I fully realize Mark was angry with his mother and didn't want to see her. But he did not commit suicide (IMO) because of her. It was because of his father. Mark had deep seeded problems, and it was all around what his father did. Stephanie took her anger out on Ruth. Barring her from her own son's funeral was cruel. Stephanie was only thinking of herself, which is demonstrated throughout her whole book. There were times I never understood what Mark Madoff saw in her to marry her. She is a selfish person. At times reading the book I thought Stephanie viewed Mark as a personal possession and piggy bank. I don't understand the connection he had to her. She seems very materialistic all throughout the book.
Hold digger
Mark should not have committed suicide, I very truly feel for him. His father was an evil, not him.
Should/should not have? Everyone has free will. Unfortunately, son was a sensitive type. RIP.
Evil ?? Seriously the corruption of the American government and its officials is the greatest scam ever
The minim wage is the biggest scam -
Of course he should not have done it - it was insane to feel so squeezed they should have moved someplace peaceful she is so shallow for going on TV shows - and blaming his father - I guess we all have to pick up pieces
@@mightynorris3772 why? He DID have his father to blame period
The whole family knew. Would you confess to this. Family is evil.
Nope! Too bad!
she seems so sincere; and like a such loveable lady; Bless
For all of you claiming that she's a gold digger; like seriously? She's got two kids to raise in a country that will blame their mother and dead father for everything that Madoff did, so how else is she to support them? I mean, who's gonna hire this woman for any job paying a living wage? I'd rather see her hawking her book on t.v. then trying to get welfare.
BillyBob Kumar exactly !
Amen. People are so fucking stupid. His sons turned him in and people still said they had a part in the schemes. Why would they ruin their own families lives by ending the money train? So dumb.
Casey Marie I believe they worked in a legitimate stocks and shares business separate from their fathers scheme. I do however believe Ruth knew, it seems to strange that she withdrew 15 million $ one day before bernie confessed, it went straight into her own personal accounts, and she was one of the very very few people that were allowed on the 17th floor of the lipstick building that was bernies office. Just my opinion though, not everyone believes she knew
She married a handsome, wealthy guy, who was only 10 years older, and she obviously loves him still. That’s hardly a gold digger. I think of a gold digger as someone who marries an old man or some short toad with bucks. Gold digger couples look absurd together-Stephanie and Mark looked normal.
@@rowanbowyer6560 I agree to your statement about Ruth. I´ve done a lot of reading about this case, and something is just rotten, when it comes to Ruth, and some of the things she said.
Depression is real. He sounds like he was in a deep depression. Unfortunately people take their lives when they are depressed..
A lot of it sounds more like shame.
He was happy spending money that is not his tho
@@danger26102 it WAS his. He worked for it too.
Why all the judging? So much hating for someone who's family is going through hell. Read her book. I have the audio version from the public library. It's her voice doing the reading. It's haunting and honest and courageous.
I pray that she stays strong for her children.
She came off as being quite strong minded .
A real tragedy all around.
sanoush100 I agree
sanoush100 ‘
he didn't know, don't be like that
Tragedy for the investors involved. Fuk her and Mark. They are all Narcissists.
I feel really sorry for her and her baby's. Mark needed to stay on this earth for those baby's . so sad all the way around.
A very sweet and beautiful woman/mother ! So tragic and I am crying with you ! Thanks for your thoughts !
Birgitt Fastwalker her smile looks like the ones in luxury store, who try to sell luxury bag but have no money.
Are you serouis? You dont see her money grubbing ways?
@@phuongnguyen-yd3bnI agree 💯
Mark shouldn't have kill himself and left his family devastated.
+Khammouane Khantikone suicide is always a selfish act-- but i cant help but sympathis with what he must have been going through
GorgieClarissa what do you mean you ignorant piece of shit! She's simply stating her opinion not facts, so why do you say she doesn't know what she's talking about? Your a real big man calling a woman the "C" word! Your nothing but a loser who's probably uglier than God know what and has nothing to do but hide behind your computer and troll! Get a life!
Stacey Shaffer i agree! now go make me a sandwich.
Miki Miyazaki Why? Because you don't know how? Figures!
Media and people would never leave him alone. I believe that he didn’t know anything
I could be ashamed of my father without taking my life - those children would be my light to continue so I could show them the right path to take. I wouldn’t have allowed Bernie to take control of my being. It’s sad.
Always the righteous one.
You should see someone about that condition - the "I" disease. I would do this. I would do that. I wouldn't have allowed, etc. Want to lecture anyone else about what they should've done in situations you've never been in? We're all ears.
my heart goes out to her,i cant imagine what she has endured,she is such a lovely person...RIP mark
She is a reptile. He married a divorced father of two. All these maddoff members our sad that the ride is over. They loved the idea of being rich on the up and up. But, I think they were comfortable with some ill gotten gains. When the gravity of the crimes were apparent, then they do interviews on how sad it is. They r all liars. And yes, Ruth had figured it out. Be careful, there r many more liars than u know. Not to mention robin roberts who closes the interview by thanking this lady and telling her how many people she has helped. 🤮🤮🤮🤮.
Here is another good one: the courts let Ruth keep 2.5 million to live off. Heaven forbid she works a real job. All the while she was stashing jewelry and valuables from confiscation.
Stephanie Mikesell is the reason her husband committed suicide. She took the kids and abandoned him when he needed her most. She kept millions from selling property. Now she's selling a book to profit off his death. No worries, i'm sure she's comfortable living on the fruit of the fraud, playing victim and blaming others.
So sorry for your loss, and for the loss of your beautiful children's father. He was an honorable man.
*This MAN had a BeautiuFULL WIFE & KIDS & was Innocent & Had an InCome; IF there is!!!!*
*a GOD, then this SeLf Centered CoWard is in God's PLace of DamNation For ALL Eternity!!!*
My heart goes out to her 💔😢❤️💙
*FAKE HEART!!!!*
Such a sad story. I feel for her so much, you can see how much she's hurting. There are a lot of men in the world like Bernie Madoff. The amount of money doesn't make a difference. It's how they seem intent on ruining everyone around them, especially those who loved him the most.
Money clearly makes a difference for THIS Golddigger.
Such a beautiful woman and two such beautiful children. If I had a family like that I wouldn't have left them. I'd have stayed around for no other reason than to watch my son and daughter grow up.
You are speaking for yourself! I think Mark was so consumed by what his father had done that he fell into a deep depression and wasn't thinking clearly, he felt the only way to stop the pain was to kill himself. Given more time he may have been able to heal from this tragedy and go in with his life.
Every interview with her I feel sad for her. She seems genuine and sad. I am by no means dismissing the immense loss the victims endured. I mean, losing tons of money is devastating. But losing the love of your life and father of your children is arguably worse. No winners in this story.
I have to wonder where you are from. Shes a gold digger blond that didnt get her way. If she is willing to get a job, she will be able to pay rent again. Just not in her spoiled mansion
I don't feel sorry for the "victims". Most got their money back. They were a bunch of wealthy ppl who got wealthier for yrs until it all fell apart.
Mark and Andrew had wives who supported them at this dramatic moment, Ruth was left alone. Her sons, and especially their wives, had no right to expect anything from her. It was their duty to support her. She was their mother and their father's wife for many many years. They had no sympathy for her, their feelings were the most important. They didn't try to understand her, they gave her an ultimatum. She didn't feel sorry for her mother-in-law who lost her husband, money and good name, so I don't believe she felt sorry for those people who lost millions because of Bernie's fraud. They left her alone with this tragedy. CRUEL !!
You are so brave and strong Stephanie, Thank you for sharing your story to the public. Wishing you the best of good health and your kids, take care and God bless!
Stephanie Mikesell is the reason her husband committed suicide. She took the kids and abandoned him when he needed her most. She kept millions from selling property. Now she's selling a book to profit off his death. No worries, i'm sure she's comfortable living on the fruit of the fraud, playing victim and blaming others.
I am so glad you are speaking about, Stephanie. I wish you well.
This is long ago now but I just read the book. I was so moved by it. It was well written and few of us can fathom the pain she must have been through. Her spreading of the ashes was such a heartbreaking read and so respectfully done. There are some good people in this world with their heart in the right place, and stephanie must be one of them.
Thank you for sharing your voice …not easy but you are strong and time will help you and love ones. Robbie you are such a Profesional and compassionate person. Love you. Be blessed always.
Funny how these women who fall in love with guys like this..."for his sensitivity" ... don't fall in love with sensitive truck drivers or construction workers.
Tony K Lol 😝
🤣🤣🤣🤣
Lol I always enjoy the comment section of UA-cam
Sensitive guy with millions...or sensitive guy with nothing...hmmmm? Yeah, weird that. If only we could pin down the variables.
Always the handsome account goes first.
Stephanie Madoff looks almost identical to Ruth Madoff (her mother in law) at the same age. Really uncanny...
Robin Roberts is truly lovely.
Why would a man with 2 toddlers kill himself? it is so very selfish, he had lots of life left to live and to reclaim. he had a wife that adored him. Start over dude and move away, go out and do something, anything to get yourself on your feet again. Go to Europe or something, move away, become a new person. his mom Ruth is doing that and she's surviving in spite if her complicitness. Geez at least live for your kids.
How about GUILTY and GOING TO JAIL didn't sound like an option he liked so he chose an alternative. Pretty much the only viable one.
It’s not selfish.,people who commit suicide are not selfish. They are stuck and can’t see a way through the darkness, fear, depression, embarrassment, shame. Whatever it is their feeling. Just don’t call them selfish because they can’t see past the fear and depression to feel selfish.
Bridget Cox I know what you stated is true. Thank you for your words in reply to the previous statements.
Xanadu Xanadu )8
Bridget Cox k
Sweet lady good wife God bless my prayers for her even years later
My heart goes to her and her children
I hope she can find it in her heart to forgive. Sounds crazy but, you can't change what has happened. Why carry that with you. Set yourself free. God loves you
God does not love us, or he'd have given us the final cure for cancer centuries ago. That psycho sits back, sips on a beer, and watches innocent children die horrific deaths due to cancer every day - yet an "all-powerful" entity could give us the cure. A real piece of work, your god is.
Don't be an idiot, a moron. Forgiveness? That is a lot of total BS. Forgiveness is for ignirant
She knew, she was enjoying the dirty money... These families are all the same. As long as they keep their lavish lifestyle they don't question where the money is coming from
One person to blamed and that is Bernie and no one else.
jack brandt lol
That was another scam Bernie perpetuated on the public.
That's not true. 15 other people he knew were charged and convicted.
just plain sad--everyone Bernie touched...
C_ Farther yea even family wow.
Beautiful piece. For peace.
She is a brave woman and its too bad Mark committed suicide..He could have moved on and been ok...I feel for the children. Shes a real catch and I hope she finds someone to share her life with ...
TRUST ME LADY, I UNDERSTAND YOU AND I DON'T BLAME YOU ONE.
I feel so bad for the kids * Awful *
Rocio Bany so do I and everyone who was hurt by this guy
Her husband wasn’t ready to talk to his mom, but it wasn’t going to be forever and the only one who knew he was going to commit suicide was mark. I guess I still don’t understand why she kept Ruth from attending her sons funeral? She herself said Ruth was innocent and loved her son. The son said his dad had stolen his life. The wealth? And he couldn’t find a job, or the type of jobs that paid what he wanted but he had 16+ million. He had been blessed with so much and so much to live for but couldn’t see it. The father did wrong and paid for it but he did raise two good sons.
This is so sad and tragic. What Stephanie has gone through and the children without their father. What one person can do that affects so many other innocent people.😢s
I don't think Ruth is guilty either. She didn't even know what it meant when she was told. She was old school and everything was her husband. Prayers for this family.
Exactly. She's the type of woman who puts her trust in her husband completely. She's no criminal mastermind. Ruth is innocent.
Felt bad for her….but the official believes that the sons knew something that’s why the trustees filed a lawsuit of fiduciary negligent against these people. Please don’t feel bad for them….thousands of victims… you all should feel sorry for…..
Im from NYC, he made rich people richer, Most did not get screwed
WHAT SICKENS ME ABOUT HIM IS THAT HOW DARE HE SMILES IN FRONT OF THE MEDIA.
I doubt Mark and Andrew knew what Madoff was doing. He was a narcissist, he wouldn't share that information with them, exactly because of what happened. He lost the respect, love, and admiration of his family. God bless Stephanie and her children. They shouldn't be held accountable for something that they had no clue about nor had anything to do with. In the end, we can say they knew or didn't but we are just assuming which is not the equivalent of the truth.
They were able to remove millions of dollars from the firm that's not their money they are using
How can Bernie be the only one who knew about all this ? We're talking about BILLIONS of dollars, something is off
People knew. Bernie's brother assisted him in the scam. However, the scam took place on one floor and apparently the sons were never allowed on that floor. Allegedly that was a reason for the tension between the sons and Bernie, because he never allowed them in that part of the business and they thought it was lack of confidence in their abilities. But I'm more likely to believe Ruth knew than they did. She's an enigma to me. You have to understand that this was a guy who even swindled his own assistant. She worked closer to him than anyone and she didn't know and he took her life savings too. He had no soul. I also think that some of his business partners should have known, but he cut anyone from his fund whenever they started asking questions and then both the world's top accounting firms and SEC audited him and kept saying he was legit. Kinda hard to believe he's a crook when everyone who should know said he wasn't.
Everyone is involved. Their cousin (Peter’s daughter) is the complaince officer. Completely mad it they never even brought up the Topic.
Dididadum Tadaa you know this how?
Shut up
No it’a not off. It’s just like husbands that two separate families for years. He never talked to his family about his side of the business. His family shouldn’t be demonized because he was a narcissistic sociopath. To the day he still doesn’t feel remorse, he feels sorry for himself. His family has suffered enough. Both of his sons are gone now, one to suicide and one to cancer.
They all knew....please do not defend these people.
Not forgiving him is just toxic to herself in the long run.
Kate B any grief has stages including anger.
Whatever....pain and loss is a process
Strong women. Even now watching this in 2023. All the best to your children 🫶🏼.
Life sucks sometimes one person can ruin a whole family Life
*This MAN had a BeautiuFULL WIFE & KIDS & was Innocent & Had an InCome; IF there is!!!!*
*a GOD, then this SeLf Centered CoWard is in God's PLace of DamNation For ALL Eternity!!!*
Stephanie may God bless you/your family. Also your brother-n-law/his family.
*There is a Place in God's HeLL, waiting for you & it has your EviL name on it!!!!*
main stream media earned the reputation of 0. that being said, this interview is very human and comforting. congratulations.
Soo Soo sad. May God bless her heart
Stephanie Madoff comes off very genuine.
3:30 I don't think Ruth Madoff knew about it. Her husband probably played the game and realized it would be better for her if she knew nothing about it.
5:18 She has a slight breakdown.
5:28 She's a broken woman.
*This MAN had a BeautiuFULL WIFE & KIDS & was Innocent & Had an InCome; IF there is!!!!*
*a GOD, then this SeLf Centered CoWard is in God's PLace of DamNation For ALL Eternity!!!*
But Ruth got allocated 2m dollars to live on...... So she can't plead poverty.... Unlike some of the victims...... I'll never see a 100k dollars at one time let alone 2m...!!!!!!
I have no understanding what Bernie did to his poor children, their wives and their children. I guess all of us don't. I wouldn't have nothing to do with Ruth, she stood by her husband over her innocent sons and their families. She is just as despicable as her evil husband. You have such courage to soldier on after all you have been through. Bless you 🙏.
Judging harshly is not the way
What a Brave Lady.. and what looks like a wonderful husband and family. So sad for her.X.
She seems like a sweetheart.
The 🕛 is now 2021. 10 yrs after this show & a little after Madoff passed away in prison. Stephanie is a very attractive 😍 woman 👱♀️. My condolences to her being widow & child being orphan, but I know NO MAN is going to let this FINE LOOKING Girl walk the Earth Without Implying "🎵 I wanna get close to you 🎶 " & may had even married her
Loved Stephanie’s book
Courageous woman! So tragic indeed.
So she tricked you too. She is a good studnet of Bernie.
She seems very fake and happy that she is unaffected. No widow smiles so bright and happy with all the hair and stuff when talking about so much tragedy. Also apparently she is living with her mother in law who she said she would;d never talk to again. Fake.
_ the trembling in hEr voice .. 😔 🥀 💔.. Lord help aLl whose hurting.... MR. BeRniE is hurting, tOo... All this thing of not 4giving will only hurt them more.... but in tiMe 🙏..
She was such a beautiful bride.
That was such a lovely thing to say Ken, I think you have a beautiful soul
Just looking for a rich husband.
Absolutely.
“The love of money is the root of all evil.” If this isn’t the proof of that, I don’t know what is.
It wasnt the money. That is WAY too simplistic. More than anything BM loved the status and the power. Everyone saw him as a big man. He was wealthy for year's BEFORE he started his ponzi scheme. He didn't do it for money.
this really breaks my heart
*WHY?????*
She was not really supportive of her depressed husband she took their two children with her on a trip to Hawaii and left him at home alone and depressed in their empty apartment. That was when his second attempt at suicide succeeded. I have very little sympathy for this woman. She also refused to allow his mother to be at her son's funeral. So what she married into extreme wealth and then it was gone, it was never really hers. Bernie Madoff played with the money of very wealthy people and they did get a lot of it back. Her husband is the one I feel for he must have suffered terribly. He was hit from all angles.I'm convinced Bernie Madoff played it close to his chest he would never have let his family know he wasn't the magnificent revered investment king they all adored. He has said now in jail he feels more peaceful than ever before. Sie la vie!
Totally incorrect. She took her daughter to Disney world in florida and mark was at in their Manhattan apartments with their 2 year old son
I'm surprised they don't make a BERNIE MADOFF DOLL THAT PEOPLE CAN PUNCH
Madoff Money clip.
Yeah. A piñata!!
Forgiveness is for the forgiver, love. I pray you have found a way to give that hate back to its rightful owner.
*Now if maybe, you couLd Make some sense!!!!*
So wrong of Stephanie to refuse to let her children see their Grandmother Ruth!!! We ALL make bad choices Stephanie! So wrong you are raising them to cut off family who loves them!
My children were very close to their grandmother.Give Ruth a spot for them.
She married him at 18. Good gosh woman. She did what her husband said. Forgive.
Ruth knew that’s why she sticked with her husband.
A real sad story. They were a beautiful couple and they lost it all because of Bernie Matoff.I feel so sorry for her losing her husband like this through suicide. May God give her strength. I HOPE her family and herself will get through this HORRIBLE ORDEAL.
They didn't lose "it" all. They lost temporary forms. Their "it" should have been their love for each other.
She remarried one year after death of her husband To the rich guy again, so she does not need to work as a waitress.
Well, if they ever made a biopic of Meg Ryan, maybe Stephanie could get the starring role.
Wow. Incredibly brave!!
shes on the verge of crying, I feel so sad for him
I agree 0 excellent performance. Bernie taught her well.
Money is evil. It destroys families.
The End of Normal. If you don't do anything wrong, continue to fright for yourself and children. Don't give up.
What a lovely lady.
Greedy lady..
What a nightmare one narc can cause !!!
She's amazing.
There is a saying that whatever you in life good or bad you will get back before your end
Stephanie is smokin Hart
Robin treats every guest the same, gotta respect that
Wasn't she going to leave him just before he topped himself? I'm sure that had something to do with his suicide - no more money to buy shoes and shit.
La situation tragique qu'il y a après cette histoire. Je viens de suivre le film la peine que j'ai non ce n'est pas possible. Vivre ça en verité oh non, l'horreur par le quel sont passés les proches c'est plus que l'enfer.
I’m not totally sure about Ruth, but I definitely believe that the son’s knew.
They didn't know. That's easy to believe. It was a totally separate business AND his legitimate business was very successful. If they( Mark and Andrew) knew it makes no sense WHY they would stop speaking to their own MOTHER for 2 yrs because she stuck by him. Bernie kept them in the dark on purpose. They were wealthy for yrs before he started the ponzi scheme in '91. Marks suicide note said "I hope you know what you did Dad. Eff u". They def DIDNT know.
They weren’t even allowed on the floor their father worked on. They turned him in
It seems as though this story is in the news again because of the Dreyfuss and DeNiro movies and after watching both I walked away thinking no way did his son's know what was going on but today, I watched an interview that Katie Couric did with some of the victims after the verdict and one victim said that Bernie would be out of the office for months at a time and left Andy and Mark to run the business so how could they not know??? With both of them gone, I don't think anyone will ever know for sure but I do feel for these innocent people who lost so much.
They KNEW. Mark is dead because he KNEW & was INVOLVED.
Bingo...
I think Ruth also knew it. I feel a little sorry for the innocent people but now they're trying to defend themselves and their family.
This is why trust fund kids are weak and not built for real life. A coward kills himself when he has a family. And an idiot only doesn't know where his daddy gets his money
I guess they never asked too muck because they were too busy enjoying all the money.
I find it hard to fathom because no traders at all on the 17th floor. Like they never talk about it at all???? The 30% outrageous return??? They are in the industry and they never smaller rat?
Lovely Stephany
B.S. innocent people don't kill themselves, if he was truly innocent, we would fight to clear his name and help his fathers victims, but he took the easy way out
Guilt and shame took the best of him
i hope you feel better Stephanie
It sounds just horrible the part where she said "he was destroyed" that is just whoa- horrible.
I don't want to come off as judging but I do think about the fact that this man was a privileged wealthy, white male his whole life. I wonder if he was one of those wealthy elite who love to look down at poor minorities and say they need to "just pull themselves up by their bootstraps" and they don't "want success bad enough" without ever knowing what struggle real people go through on a day-to-day basis. Now the rug is pulled out from under you and all your wealth and status is gone. If the above was his life, he would have no resilience to handle that. I never think of people who commit suicide as "weak," just people who are in pain, but this guy probably had no resilience. He probably had never been told "no" in his life, probably went around saying "I'm Bernie Madoff's son," and then being ushered right in to the best tables. He worked for his father's company--did he even HAVE a freakin resume typed up? He was never going to be fired and probably didn't need to work if he had been. Then all of that is gone in an instant. If you've never had hardship some people might not be able to take that if they have no reserves built up.
So sad. I feel terrible for his family. Bernie Madoff destroyed the soul of his family.
Nantucket is the place she loves most...? Oh really? Natucket is part of Martha's Vineyard and possibly the area with the richest people worldwide. So Mack has still enough money to be part of that scene...? Everybody should make up his mind about the fact! I DO NOT believe a second she, her mother-in-law and her husband are innocent! Make the whole filthy Madoff-clan stand against a wall...!!!
It doesn't matter what you believe. It only matters what can be proved. That's how the system of justice operates in this country. Innocent until PROVEN guilty, remember? No one in this country should be advocating for the judicial punishment of a US citizen with no evidence; without even an arrest. That's barbarism. The system may not be perfect, but it's certainly better than the alternative you're presenting, which is anyone can be arrested and punished on a hunch or whim. It's what the Nazis did. It's what Idi Amin, Gaddafi, the KGB and all dictatorships did. It's what Iran and North Korea still proudly do. Is that what you want the US to be? North Korea? Where you can be executed just because the leader doesn't like you?
You want us to descend into that level of injustice simply because you don't like a bunch of greedy assholes? This is exactly the time, and these are exactly the people you preserve the laws for. It's easy to preserve the laws for the good people of society, but principles only mean something when you stick to them when they're inconvenient. You either have principles or you don't. Neither the situation nor the individuals involved can change that.
Nantucket is not part of Martha's Vinyard. It's a two hour boat ride away.
Thinks Nantucket is part of Martha’s Vinyard…
What she should do is give 90% of the profits / advances she receives from this book to a childrens hospital to show she is not profiting from her father in laws criminality.
Bernie Madoff destroyed all he knew.
she deserves an Oscar for her acting in this interview!
A. M. Goudarzi gold digger 100%
Why would you say that? You have no idea.
It never ceases to amaze me how people are so quick to judge others when (i) they weren’t even remotely involved with the people or events the subject of their judgment, (ii) they have never walked ten feet-let alone a mile-in that person’s shoes, and (iii) their judgment flies in the face of of the results of one of the most intensive investigations ever that found not one piece of evidence that Madoff’s family was aware of his activities. Stop & think for a minute about the thousands, if not millions, of women who lived relatively comfortable lives for decades while their husbands were alive. These same women became destitute after their husbands died and they learned for the first time their husbands had put the family deeply in debt to finance those comfortable lives.
Totally right.
She is so beautiful. I am so sorry for her. Bless you. Madoff was an evil narcissist. He showed no remorse. RIP Mark.
It's just so very sad .....
I guess you bought it - all this pretense. Bernie taught his family well how to con the public.
Heartbreaking