It is safe to say that the economy of today is the worst it has been since the Great Depression. Unemployment is at an all time high, companies are going bankrupt left and right – the most recent being Circuit City who just cost 33,000 people their jobs – and the Government is putting hundreds of billions of dollars into the banking, mortgage and auto industries just to keep them afloat. But while everyone, rich or poor is struggling, while people with excellent credit are now, for the first time, getting calls from debt collectors – and while millions of Americans are moving out of homes they lost – along comes Bernie Madoff…

…who did more damage to Americans and this country than President George W. Bush.

The one-time Nasdaq chairman, Bernie Madoff has pulled what big time Wall Street executives have called the biggest scam in history – paying off early investors with funds from subsequent clients to keep the illusion of profit alive. His victims included Actor Kevin Bacon, and Fred Wilpon and Saul Katz, co-owners of the Mets, who recently acknowledged that their Sterling Equities had invested an unknown amount with Madoff. In total, Madoff’s long-running scheme may have resulted in $50 billion in losses…

…and he is comfortably resting at home – in his multi-million dollar home under “house arrest.”

Huh?

Federal prosecutors tried twice to have his $10 million bail revoked and have him put in Federal prison where he so rightfully belongs – but both judges on appeal said no. They claim that he is not a flight risk – and that he is not a danger to society – the two factors that determine whether or not someone should be remanded into custody. But recently, in what I feel is a clear message that he does not care about his investors, his greed, or the law – he sent close to $1 million in gifts to friends and family. In fact, one of Bernie’s victims, 65-year-old Rene-Thierry Magon de la Villehuchet – was found sitting at his desk with both wrists slashed – because he lost more than $1 billion of his clients’ money to Bernard Madoff. In my opinion – that right there makes him an accessory to murder…

…yet, he is living large in his mansion – probably sleeping like a baby – as I am up at 6:47am writing this column about how much of a crook he really is.

As the 24-hour news channels always do, I have seen recycled clips of Madoff many times, with the most memorable being him trying to walk into his building – and a photographer literally shoving Madoff backwards just so he can get one more shot of him. While I normally consider these “paparazzi” scum – I have three words for that guy…

…good for you.