The Madoff Suicide

The suicide of Mark Madoff is tragic on all levels. Never mind that he was the son of Bernard Madoff, arguably the world's most hated person. Never mind whether or to what extent Mark was or was not complicit in his father's sinister machinations. Never mind the lawsuits to which Mark was a party at the time of his suicide (and which will, no doubt, continue forward with his estate as a party). And please, dump your inclination to comment to the effect that this was the wrong Madoff.

One of Bernie Madoff's victims described Mark's suicide as the ultimate punishment for Bernie Madoff. I agree, and would say that Bernie rightly deserves it, EXCEPT that there are other victims of that suicide who are totally innocent. Specifically, Mark's children, including and especially his two-year-old son who was asleep in the next room as his father hanged himself. I don't even want to think about the long-term psychological damage this will, no doubt, inflict upon the kid, nor do I envy the person (probably Mark's wife) who gets stuck explaining it all to the kid when he comes of sufficient age to comprehend what happened.

And so, the repercussions from Bernie Madoff's crime just keep on coming and coming and coming.