Bernie Madoff: I Can Live With The Anger of Victims

Barbara Walters recently sat down with notorious Ponzi master Bernie Madoff at the Butner Federal Correctional Complex for a two hour interview. Madoff told her that he "can live with" the anger of the people that he defrauded but that he is troubled by anger and turmoil within his own family. "Not seeing my family and knowing they hate me" is the worst thing about being in prison, he said. "I betrayed them." His youngest son Mark committed suicide by hanging himself in his New York apartment last December. After the suicide, Madoff became estranged from his wife. "Ruth not communicating is the hardest thing," he said. Ruth doesn't hate me. She has no-one. It's not fair to her. She lost her first son. ... She is a devoted wife and didn't care about the money." In speaking about his former clients, who lost billions, Madoff said "I understand why clients hate me. The gravy train is over. I can live with that. The average person thinks I robbed widows and orphans," he added. "I made wealthy people wealthier."