The Sam Bankmans of the world gamble away their stolen money on shitcoins but the Madoffs of the world buy real estate, yachts, and government bonds. His real estate purchases had decent appreciation over the years -- a hamptons house (bought in 1980 for $250,000, sold for $10 million), a NYC penthouse apartment (bought in 1984, sold for $8 million).
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Recovery_of_funds_from_the_Mad...