The story of fraudster Bernie Madoff will soon be hitting the big screen with Robert De Niro, America’s favorite villain type-cast, playing the ruinous financial villain who ran the largest Ponzi scheme in American history.
De Niro’s production company, Tribeca, and HBO have purchased the rights to the book, “Truth and Consequences: Inside the Life of the Madoff Family.” They plan to use that story, along with a “60 Minutes” interview, to craft the script.
Madoff received a 150 year sentence in 2010 for defrauding 16,000 investors out of $20 billion. His family has since largely disowned him.
The story of the Madoffs turned even more tragic when one of Bernie’s sons committed suicide from the stress and anguish brought on by public humiliation.
De Niro is no stranger to playing the villain on the big screen. He made a name for himself in roles like Vito Corleone in The Godfather trilogy and Al Capone in The Untouchables.
In a recent interview with Barbara Walters, Bernie Madoff confessed he has “terrible remorse” for having “ruined his family” but is “happier in prison.”