Madoff's life won't be a picnic

2009-06-29 22:09

New York - From rubbing elbows with millionaires to sharing a prison yard with drug dealers and gangsters, Bernard Madoff's life is about to change dramatically.

The Federal Bureau of Prisons has not decided where Madoff, who orchestrated a Ponzi scheme that bilked investors out of billions of dollars, will serve his 150-year sentence. But no matter where he ends up, Madoff should not expect plush digs, former federal prisoners say.

Far from it.

Madoff, 71, leaving behind his wife and his $7m Manhattan apartment, will likely find himself earning pennies a day sweeping floors, cleaning toilets or manning a stove in the prison kitchen.

Like all prisoners, corrections officers will shine a light in his face twice in the middle of the night as part of six or seven daily checks.

"One of the most difficult things to deal with in prison is the reality that you are powerless," said Jonathan Richards, author of Federal Prison - A Comprehensive Survival Guide, who served time in a Federal Medical Centre, which is similar to a low-security prison.

"Your whole life you basically eat when you want to eat, sleep when you want to sleep, wear what you want to wear. Then, suddenly, this daily freedom is taken away."

Although Madoff will likely have air conditioning when the weather demands it, nearly all of the perks of the high-life he's accustomed to will disappear, regardless of whether he is sent to a low or medium security prison.

On arrival at the federal lock-up, Madoff will quickly see for himself that designer soaps aren't among the items included in his prison-issued hygiene kit. Instead, he'll get a tiny bar of soap, a tooth brush, a comb and a razor.

Outdoor cage

"This bar of soap is like the size of a matchbook," said Larry Levine, the founder of Wall Street Prison Consultants, who spent 10 years in federal prison. "The razor - you can barely shave with it."

The food will toe the line of edible, and his outdoor time will amount to pacing in an outdoor cage. His prison-issued khaki wardrobe won't make a fashion statement.

The chances of Madoff running his own investment club inside the prison are slim, but - when he isn't working - he should have plenty of time to read, write, exercise, and even network with other prisoners, if he chooses. Some inmates learn new skills like painting.

He can write and receive letters, make limited phone calls for 25 cents a minute, and it is possible he will have access to e-mail, although his messages can be monitored.

Once Madoff is settled, his friends and family can visit, but conjugal visits are forbidden.

"You can hug, you can kiss, but they can't give you anything," said Levine, who served in high, medium, low and minimum security prisons. "You aren't permitted to go to the vending machine and get snacks yourself - they have to get them for you. And before you know it, the visit is over."

The prison system tries to place inmates within 500 miles of their families, which makes visiting easier.

If prison officials decide to keep him close to home, Madoff could end up in the Federal Correctional Institution in Otisville, New York, a medium-security prison about 110km northwest of New York City that houses 1 100 inmates. After initial isolation, Madoff likely will have a cell mate.

In Otisville, Madoff's potential bunk mates would include Emory Clash Jones, a drug dealer; James Coonan, a noted gangster and convicted racketeer; Gregory Rago, a mob soldier and co-conspirator in the murder of Louis "Fat Lou" LaRusso; and Blake Prater, a comparatively small-scale Ponzi scheme artist.

"I don't see anybody being his big pal," said Levine. "Some people will cozy up to him looking for stock tips."

But more likely, Madoff will be met with resentment.

"The guards and inmates are going to view Madoff as a reason why their families don't have money, even if it is not his fault," Levine said.

- Reuters