In news that comes as the impossible to believe variety because of its source, convicted fraudster Bernard Madoff backed New York Mets owners -- and supposed friends -- stating that the three individuals were unaware of the Ponzi scheme he was orchestrating.
In his first interview from Federal Correctional Complex in Butner, N.C., where Madoff was sentenced to a 150-year prison term, Madoff told The New York Times: "They (Wilpons and Saul Katz) knew nothing. They knew nothing."
The trustee, Irving Picard, representing the victims who were swindled is suing the Wilpons' Sterling Equities, which also controls the Mets, for up to $1 billion since he believes that they were aware of what was going on. Because of the dire financial circumstances facing the franchise, the Wilpons recently came out stating that they were seeking a minority buyer in the team for up to 25 percent. The case is being mediated by former New York Governor Mario Cuomo.
In this interview with the Times, Madoff also said that the banks "had to know" what was going on: "They had to know," Madoff said. "But the attitude was sort of, ‘If you're doing something wrong, we don't want to know.' "
Check out the full three-page story in the Times here.