The American economy might be healthier than it was five or six years ago when the financial crisis hit, but that doesn’t mean everyone’s back to where they were. One person who had a huge hand in effecting others during that time was Ponzi scheme organizer Bernie Madoff, who not only collected over $50 million, but did so by using some famous people’s cash—and these are some who were hit hard from the former stockbroker and financial advisor.
5. Sandy Koufax
He’s one of the greatest pitchers of all-time, but former L.A. Dodgers great Sandy Koufax was the one who struck out when he found himself on the losing end of Madoff’s scheme. Though the numbers were never officially released, it’s assumed that Koufax, like a number of baseball players on Madoff’s client list, lost six- and seven-figure dollars.
4. Steven Spielberg
Steven Spielberg may be a really wealthy man, but that doesn’t mean he can make up for all the losses his Wunderkinder Foundation lost from Madoff. While the exact amount has never been disclosed, seeing that nearly 70 percent of the interest and dividend income came from the Madoff firm in 2006, there’s a good chance it is in the high millions that the director lost.
3. Larry King
The former talk show host may have had a career that spanned decades, but some of that cash was lost thanks to King trusting Madoff. King actually revealed that he lost more than $1 million because of it. That’s a lot of loot to hand over to someone, so it’s a shame he’ll never be able to retrieve it.
2. Kevin Bacon and Kyra Sedgwick
People often play the “Six Degrees of Separation” game, so it’s no wonder that Madoff can also be included in there—although the actor would prefer he wasn’t mentioned. That’s because the advisor lost millions for Bacon and his wife Kyra Sedgwick, who said that the two weren’t completely destroyed, but hard-earned money was taken from them—even though they were promised that it was in a safe place.
1. John Malkovich
One of the best character actors of the past few decades, John Malkovich has said he was “ruined” financially—and presumably emotionally—by the scam. Even after going to court in 2011 to reclaim the $2.3 million he lost from Madoff, the entire process had to be one that took a toll on him.
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