Uproar As Madoff's Brother Delays Prison To Attend Granddaughter's Bat Mitzvah

When Peter Madoff appeared before United States District Court Judge Laura Swain in late December to learn his fate for his role in his brother's $65 billion Ponzi scheme, he did not attempt to protest his innocence or sway the sympathies of those present.  Rather, he had one simple request - that Judge Swain delay his incarceration date until early 2013 so that he could attend his granddaughter's Bat Mitzvah.  Perhaps swayed by pleas from family and Madoff's rabbi, Judge Swain granted the request and ordered Madoff to report to prison by February 6, 2013.  

But Madoff neglected to tell Judge Swain that the Bat Mitzvah, which took place this past weekend, would be an extravagant event splashed across the front page of the New York Post and leave many of Madoff's victims seething with rage.  The ceremony, which took place at historic Central Synagogue in Midtown Manhattan and was also streamed online, featured Madoff saying a brief prayer in Hebrew before his granddaughter took the stage, telling the congregation that "the suffering of others should not be forgotten."  After the ceremony, the party continued at the ritzy venue 404 NYC for a 200-guest event estimated to cost approximately $100,000.    Several Madoff victims were quoted in various news outlets expressing their displeasure with the situation.

Madoff agreed to plead guilty in June to changes of commit securities fraud and falsifying documents, accepting a 10-year prison sentence that represented the maximum possible under the charges.  Madoff also agreed to turn over all of his assets as part of a $143.1 billion criminal forfeiture order.  He will report to the Otisville medium-security prison in early February, which features a full-time Jewish chaplain, a kosher kitchen, and was named by Forbes as one of the "12 Best Places to Go to Prison."