Where Is Ruth Madoff Living Today?
Bernie Madoff, infamous Ponzi scheme operator and financial fraudster, died at the age of 82 on April 14, 2021. As NBC News notes, the former Nasdaq chairman stole some $65 billion from investors over several years. He was arrested in 2008 and sentenced to 150 years in prison. The extensive fraud charges detailed how Bernie cheated numerous marks out of their fortunes, including actor couple Kevin Bacon and Kyra Sedgwick and iconic filmmaker Steven Spielberg.
The fraudster was married to high school sweetheart Ruth since 1959, and she notably didn't opt to divorce Bernie following his arrest (via NBC News). Ruth wasn't charged in connection with the crimes, and she told the Today show in 2011 that "the villain of all this is behind bars," while also confirming there was no love lost between them. After surrendering her considerable fortune, Ruth relocated to Connecticut in a bid to dodge the ensuing controversy. She's since moved to much nicer digs.
Bernie Madoff's wife is living comfortably in Connecticut
According to the New York Post, Ruth Madoff is currently residing in a spacious four-bedroom waterfront property in Connecticut estimated to be worth a whopping $3.8 million. She's reportedly living there with her former daughter-in-law, Susan Elkin, who was married to eldest son Mark, and her family. The mansion is located in the exclusive Lucas Point area of Old Greenwich. Public records note Ruth has been living there since September. Prior to that point, she was residing in a comparatively smaller, 989-square-foot townhouse in a less swanky area of Old Greenwich. The new house is close to 4,000 square feet and includes a private dock, stunning views of Greenwich cove, and a double-height entry gallery, among other amenities.
A damning report by the Daily Mail alleges Ruth was spending more than $57,000 per month on the company credit card at the height of her husband's criminal career. As the Post mentioned, Ruth agreed to drop any claim to a combined $80 million in assets in exchange for $2.5 million in cash. She moved to Connecticut to avoid the press and be closer to her grandchildren, while chasing some semblance of a normal life. It seems, at least in the latter case, she's achieved that goal.
Ruth Madoff hasn't been seen in public since her husband's death
According to the Daily Mail, as of April 17, Ruth Madoff was continuing to lay low and stay out of the public eye as news of her husband's death brought renewed interest in the couple. An unidentified brunette was spotted dropping off a package but there was no sign of fraudster Bernie's widow. In fact, Ruth has not been seen at all since Bernie died in prison after a lengthy battle with kidney disease. It's not clear what kind of funeral preparations are in place or who will even claim his body. Bernie was originally arrested back in 2008, after confessing to adult sons Mark and Andrew that his investment firm was a fallacy and, at its core, an incredibly lucrative Ponzi scheme.
Mark cut his father off completely. On the second anniversary of Bernie's capture in 2010, Mark died by suicide, allegedly because he was so humiliated by Bernie's crimes. Four years later in 2014, Andrew died from lymphoma, reportedly blaming his father for his ill health since the cancer he'd previously beaten re-emerged after Bernie's arrest. Ruth also cut off contact with her husband. However, his pen pal, journalist Jim Campbell, alleged that the Madoff continued to write to her from behind bars.
Ruth Madoff just wants to be left alone to live her life in peace
Ruth Madoff has been the subject of public scrutiny for years. The Daily Mail lurking outside her house is nothing new, with the publication reporting in 2015 that Ruth had been spotted out shopping with a designer handbag worth around $1,350 despite the fact, as they were careful to note, she's been living on a super-strict budget ever since Bernie's arrest. That same year, the Daily News reported Ruth had been confronted by a reporter outside her home, with her only statement being an emphatic "Get away from me." The New York Post had a similar experience in 2017, with Ruth stating plainly, "I have nothing to say," when approached for a comment on her husband's crimes.
Ruth has been open about how tough things were. The New York Times even reported that the duo had allegedly tried to take their own lives on Christmas Eve in 2008. Describing the situation as "horrific," Ruth admitted, "I don't know whose idea it was, but we were both so saddened by everything that had happened. It was unthinkable to me: hate mail, phone calls, lawyers." Lifelong friends reportedly turned their backs on Ruth following Bernie's very public takedown, and she has been struggling with the media attention ever since.
If you or anyone you know is having suicidal thoughts, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255).