Madoffs in suicide bid after fraud

The wife of disgraced financier Bernard Madoff says the couple tried to kill themselves after he admitted stealing billions of…

The wife of disgraced financier Bernard Madoff says the couple tried to kill themselves after he admitted stealing billions of dollars in the largest Ponzi scheme in history.

Ruth Madoff will appear on CBS's 60 Minutes programme on Sunday - her first interview since her husband's fraud arrest in December 2008.

She says the time after Madoff’s arrest was “horrendous” and remembers receiving angry phone calls and hate mail.

Ms Madoff says they took “a bunch of pills” including Ambien on Christmas Eve, but both woke up the next day. She says the decision was “very impulsive” and she was glad they did not die.

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The couple’s son Andrew will also talk about his experience. Another son, Mark, killed himself last year.

Bernard Madoff (72) is serving 150 years in prison.