Bernie Madoff's brother gets bat mitzvah pass before prison

Peter Madoff leaves Federal Court in New York on Friday, June 28, 2012. / AP Photo

NEW YORK The prison-bound brother of Wall Street swindler Bernard Madoff has attended his granddaughter's bat mitzvah in New York.

Peter Madoff was sentenced in December to 10 years in prison for his role in the massive Ponzi scheme. The judge delayed his lockup date so he could attend the Jewish ceremony.

The 67-year-old pleaded guilty in June to charges that he created false documents while he was chief compliance officer at his brother's firm.

• Bernard Madoff's brother gets 10-year sentence
• Peter Madoff pleads guilty in Ponzi scheme

Madoff will report to prison Feb. 6. His brother is serving a 150-year sentence in North Carolina after revealing the fraud in 2008. Thousands of investors lost about $20 billion.

The New York Post reports that Peter Madoff said a brief prayer in Hebrew and touched his lips to the Torah during Saturday's ceremony.

[707tony]

If financial reform ever takes hold, and just punishment is doled out, special prisons may be appropriate to accommodate all Jewish holidays

[jarrellkaren]

Wonder how much he paid the judge for this to happen?????

[tiredofeverything]

Why do crooks and con men bother being religious?
If they believed even a quarter of what their religion preaches, they wouldn't do what they do.