New York Family Law Blog
Stephanie Madoff had no idea of the events that were about to unfold on the morning of December 11, 2010. The Disney World trip she was enjoying with her 4-year old daughter and her own mother was the getaway both she and her daughter needed in order to create new and better memories for the two, a New York Family Attorney heard. What lay before her as the morning progressed would change both her and her daughter’s lives yet again.
At some point after 6 a.m. the 35-year old Stephanie would check her phone for any messages. While the first message that she received from her husband, Mark Madoff, was bothersome, it was the second message that sent her into a state of panic. The second message simply said, “I love you,” in the subject line, and contained an empty message body. She immediately contacted her stepfather to the couple’s New York apartment to investigate, and what he discovered would shake the woman to her core.
What Stephanie Madoff’s stepfather discovered in their apartment, was Mark Madoff hanging from a ceiling beam with a black dog leash wrapped around his neck. He was 46-years of age at the time of his death. A NY City Family Lawyer was also told that he did not leave a suicide note behind, and the last two messages that Stephanie received were all she had left.
By the time that Stephanie, her daughter, and her mother, arrived at her New York apartment, the usual media frenzy was in full swing, which sources have told authorities, that angered her, yet she maintained her composure. Suffice it to say, that heartache overcame her anger as the rest of the day drew on. Custody is not an issue as the family lives is Manhattan, New York City where the mother will be deemed to be the custodian.
Stephanie Madoff is likely Bernie Madoff’s ultimate victim, as her only crime was to be in love with the son of the man who was convicted of bilking millions of dollars from his many victims. As it would be discovered, his two sons, Mark and Andrew, are the two that turned their father into the authorities once they learned of their father’s crimes. They were the elder Madoff’s victims also, it would seem. Each of them went onto to deal with it in different ways.
Bernie Madoff is currently serving a 150-year prison sentence for his crimes.
A New York Family Attorney has the tools to assist you in your family law issues, whether those issues are estate planning, arranging counseling, or even a divorce. Contact a New York Family Attorney today, and you can be on the road to a better life.The Office of Stephen Bilkis and Associates can offer you support and guidance as well as a free consultation when you contact us at 1-800-NY-NY-LAW. We have offices in N York City, including Brooklyn, Queens, Manhattan, Staten Island and The Bronx and in Nassau County, Suffolk County and Westchester County.