Humor: Where Madoff's $55 billion went

Some things just didn't work out so well.
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Bank notes from around the world, donated by visitors to the British Museum in London. (Wikipedia)

Some things just didn't work out so well.

What did Bernie Madoff do with that $55 billion? Flip Side assigned its crack investigative reporting team to answer this question. The results are just in:

Bernard Madoff : Sources of Funds, 1992-2008

Chumps: $5,637,000,000. Shmedriks: $14,080,000,000. Dupes: $4,363,000,000. Shlemiels: $7,375,000,000. Goyim: $23,545,000. Total: $55,000,000,000.

Bernard Madoff: Uses of Funds, 1992-2008

New York Yankees baseball cap, $17.95

Loss on co-investment with Paul Allen in Charter Communications, $325,000,000

Book: Ponzi's Scheme: The True Story of a Financial Legend, $14.95

Ingrates who wanted money back: $4,325,000,000

NPR Spring Pledge Drive: $50

East Side Co-op: $4,000,000

Pilates classes: $1,325

Payment to Dr. Bomo Ngoro, Auditor General of Burkina: $18,766,000

Six Sigma Consulting: $919,459.15

Property in Antibes: $900,000

Loss on co-investment with Paul Allen in Portland Rose Garden: $55,000,000

Summer home in Hamptons: $1,580,000

Things that cost a lot of money: $3,695,000,000

Things that cost a whole lot of money: $9,423,000,000

Loss on co-investment with Paul Allen in Radar Networks: $35,780,000

NPR Feast of the Ascension Pledge Drive: $50

Purchase of Papal Indulgences: $2,936,890,000

Food (excluding Vitello Tonnato): $77,736.89

Vitello Tonnato: $77,736.89

Motivational speakers: Barry Bonds ($75,000), Jeff Skilling ($125,000), Charles Manson ($250,000)

Tchatchkes: $6,000,000,000

Psychiatric counseling: $200

NPR Ramadan Pledge Drive: $50

Investment advice: Richard Fuld, CEO Lehman Brothers ($13,986,000), James Cyane, CEO Bear Stearns ($59,689,000), Charles Manson ($5,359,000), Paul Allen ($6.45)

Things that seemed like a good idea at the time: $7,246,000,000

Yacht: $7,000,000

Book: Moral Clarity: A Guide for Grown-Up Idealists, by Susan Neiman: $27

Gratuities. Doormen ($27.50). Waiters ($140.67), SEC Investigators ($1,577,406,000)

Loss on co-investment with Paul Allen in Metricom Inc.: $19,686,000

Bad Ideas. Meshuge ideas ($6,939,000,000). Narish ideas ($2,362,000,000). Lecherlech ideas ($6,892,000,000)

Loss co-investments with Paul Allen in Internap, Viewpoint Corp., Allegiance Telecom, Zany Brainy, and Mercata: $1,865,000,000

NPR National Eating Disorders Awareness Week Pledge Drive: $50

Wouldn't you like to know? (Redacted figure)

Remaining assets to be distributed to plaintiff lawyers: $1,701,479,589

Remaining assets to be distributed to plaintiffs: $6,891

Total: $55,000,000,000 (give or take).

  

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