Bernie Madoff's Protectees

Bernie Madoff's secretary, who co-wrote a 9,000-word article in Vanity Fair, said on TV today that Madoff is keeping silent to protect others:

Eleanor Squillari, Madoff's secretary of more than 20 years, told NBC's "Today" that she thinks her former boss carefully orchestrated his arrest and that he's protecting others who might have been involved in his multibillion-dollar scheme by not cooperating with investigators. She declined to speculate as to whom he might be protecting.

It's perfectly credible that Madoff is protecting somebody. What isn't especially credible is that Ms. Squillari would not know who that is. I hope that she is more forthcoming in her talks with prosecutors that she was in her Today show appearance.

© 2009 Gary Weiss. All rights reserved.