Investors scrambled to assess potential losses from an alleged $50 billion fraud by Bernard Madoff, a day after the arrest of the prominent Wall Street trader.

 

Prosecutors and regulators accused the 70-year-old, who was chairman of the Nasdaq Stock Market in the early 1990s, of masterminding a fraud of epic proportions through his investment advisory business, which managed at least one hedge fund.

 

Hundreds of people, investing with him through the firm's clients, entrusted Madoff with billions of dollars, industry experts said...

 

...Federal agents arrested Madoff at his apartment on Thursday after prosecutors said he told senior employees that his money management operations were "all just one big lie" and "basically, a giant Ponzi scheme."

Link.

Arrested? Uncle Sam ought to be making you in charge of Social Security. I guess the government cracks down on those in direct competition with its own Ponzi scheme.