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Comment by klodolph | Hacker News Reader

25 years is a damn long time. I don’t know how that can “seem low”.

I think it seems low because of the magnitude of the crime. Also because we punish more violent crimes with very harsh sentences including charging non-violent perpetrators with violent crimes(Felony Murder).

Add in the desire to be seen as doing something with sentencing inflation and your get multiple hundred year sentences.

At first I felt that 25 years was short but thinking about it, he will be ~60 when he gets out... so maybe not too short.

if he does 85% and after accounting for the year and a half he’s already been in prison he’ll probably get out by 50

Part of it is that he took it to trial. He likely could have negotiated a deal for single-digit years if he had admitted guilt and cooperated.

I don't think we should pressure people into admitting guilt, but cooperating could be important. What more should he have done to help the people affected by his fraud?

I agree we should not pressure it but if you are guilty and caught with your hand in the cookie jar, it could be your best option. A good attorney will advise you if your best course is to minimize the damage by accepting a plea deal.

How much Bernie madoff got?

150 years

150 years.

150 years - of which he served 12 years before dying in prison.

He was already old so he was going to die in prison whatever happened.

Madoff spent ~12 years in prison before he died at 82.

They gave him a 150 year sentence for a crime on par-ish with SBF's crimes, because at 70 there is little difference between 20 years and 100 years, so you may as well go for the shock value.

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