RadioShack buyers ran a Ponzi scheme, SEC alleges
The buyers of distressed brick-and-mortar companies like RadioShack and Modell's Sporting Goods, are accused of running a Ponzi scheme.
Ponzi Scheme
Retired IRS agent gets 12 years for scamming elderly California woman out of life savings
A retired IRS agent from Southern California has been sentenced to state prison after she was convicted of defrauding an elderly San Francisco Bay Area woman out of $1 million in life savings.
Bernie Madoff's victims to get additional $158 million in restitution
Nearly 25,000 of the victims in Madoff's Ponzi scheme will see restitution through the Madoff Victim Fund.
California man sentenced in cow manure Ponzi scheme
After his arrest, Ray Brewer claimed he saved several soldiers from a fire while serving in the Navy, but later admitted, "these were both lies meant to curry favor with law enforcement."
2/9: Red and Blue
George Santos' work for firm accused of Ponzi scheme drew scrutiny; 2024 GOP presidential field begins to take shape.
Investigating Rep. George Santos' past
A new CBS Reports documentary explores Congressman George Santos' history of lies and his past involvement in a company accused in an alleged Ponzi scheme. CBS News political correspondent Caitlin Huey-Burns discusses "Campaign of Deceit: The Election of George Santos" with Anne-Marie Green and Seth Doane.
2009: The man who knew
In 2009, 60 Minutes interviewed Madoff Ponzi scheme whistleblower Harry Markopolos, who said he alerted the Securities and Exchange Commission of Madoff's fraud starting in 2000.
Bernie Madoff's sister and her husband dead in apparent murder-suicide
They were found unresponsive with gunshot wounds in their residence, police say. Madoff wiped out people's fortunes and ruined charities with a massive Ponzi scheme.
Christian radio host gets 3 life prison terms for bilking listeners
"He ruthlessly stole from his clients who trusted him for almost a decade," said the chief of the Tarrant County DA's Elder Financial Fraud team.
The history behind Bobby Bonilla Day
The Mets are sitting atop National League East and enjoying a good return so far on the team's $196 million payroll. But included in that figure is nearly $1.2 million for a player that hasn't stepped to the plate in more than 20 years, and one the team will continue to pay for another 14 years. Here's more on the now-infamous arrangement between an athlete and an owner, and the most notorious Ponzi scheme in history.
Bernie Madoff: How he pulled it off
On April 14, 2021, Bernard Madoff, who burned thousands of investors through an epic Ponzi scheme, died in prison while serving a 150-year prison sentence. Correspondent Jim Axelrod talks with journalist Jim Campbell, author of "Madoff Talks," who maintained a years-long correspondence with the disgraced investor and his family, to learn exactly how Madoff pulled off the largest financial fraud in Wall Street history.
Bernie Madoff: How he pulled it off
Journalist Jim Campbell, author of "Madoff Talks," maintained a years-long correspondence with the disgraced investor to learn exactly how Madoff pulled off the biggest fraud in American financial history.
Book excerpt: "Madoff Talks" by Jim Campbell
The journalist's new book features exclusive interviews with the disgraced investor who built a Ponzi scheme that grew into the largest financial fraud in Wall Street history.
Ponzi schemer Bernie Madoff dies in prison at 82
Bernie Madoff, the mastermind of the largest Ponzi scheme in history, died in prison at age 82. He suffered from kidney disease in recent years.
Federal prosecutors allege Shkreli lied and stole to keep his other companies afloat
Pharmaceutical CEO Martin Shkreli who was accused of price gouging is out on bail after his arrest Thursday on unrelated securities fraud charges. Federal prosecutors allege Shkreli lied and stole to keep his other companies afloat. He was already called a symbol of corporate greed after his drug company raised the price of a medicine by more than 5,000 percent. Anthony Mason reports.
Martin Shkreli, the pharmaceutical company CEO who caused a public uproar after drastically raising the price of a life-saving prescription drug, was arrested on Thursday
Martin Shkreli, the pharmaceutical company CEO who caused a public uproar after drastically raising the price of a life-saving prescription drug, was arrested on Thursday. Federal prosecutors accuse Shkreli of running a Ponzi-like scheme to pay off investors at his former hedge fund. Anthony Mason reports.
Stocks surged after the Labor Department announced that the U.S. economy added 211,000 jobs in November
Stocks surged after the Labor Department announced that the U.S. economy added 211,000 jobs in November. Also, the trustee of Bernie Madoff's firm began distributing more money to people swindled in Madoff's Ponzi scheme. Hena Daniels reports on the day's top MoneyWatch headlines.
A French company is showing off a self-driving shuttle bus at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas,
A French company is showing off a self-driving shuttle bus at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. It's the first driverless vehicle commercially available in the U.S. With a top speed of 12 miles an hour, the shuttle is intended for college campuses and airport parking lots. That story and more Moneywatch headlines from Wendy Gillette.
Bernie Madoff seeks early release due to end-stage renal disease
Without compassionate release, Madoff's sentence would not end until 2139.
Jeffrey Epstein once worked at firm behind massive Ponzi scheme
"I don't think there was anyone who worked for the company who didn't understand it was a fraud the whole time," a lawyer told CBS News
Bernie Madoff asks Trump for clemency
The perpetrator of the biggest fraud in history is seeking commutation of his 150-year prison sentence, which he is serving in North Carolina
Almanac: Schemer Charles Ponzi
The founding father of financial hijinks, who trapped his investors in a "musical chairs" of fraud, was born on March 3, 1882
Ponzi scheme suspect cast spells, paid $720K for prayers to thwart charges
Six-figure payments for prayers didn't spare Dawn Bennett from a 17-count indictment on fraud charges
Feds charge 3 men after busting $364M Ponzi scheme
Federal prosecutors say the accused ripped off hundreds while spending big on homes, cars and other luxury goods
In 2011, Bernie Madoff's wife and son spoke publicly for the first time with Morley Safer about the Ponzi scheme that defrauded thousands
In 2011, Bernie Madoff's wife and son spoke publicly for the first time with Morley Safer about the Ponzi scheme that defrauded thousands
Brown University shooting suspect found dead, also killed MIT professor, officials say
The Brown University shooting suspect was found dead in a storage unit in New Hampshire. Authorities believe he is also responsible for killing an MIT professor.
Noem says Brown suspect got U.S. visa through diversity lottery, pauses program
Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem said late Thursday the Trump administration will pause the diversity visa lottery program, which she said was used by alleged Brown University shooter Claudio Manuel Neves Valente.
"Fraud tourists" went to Minnesota to make money off state programs, prosecutors say
Federal prosecutors announced new indictments Thursday in the widening Minnesota fraud scandal, this time involving two Philadelphia-based men accused of traveling to the state.
House Democrats release 68 more photos from Epstein estate
Democrats on the House Oversight Committee have released a new batch of 68 photos obtained from Jeffrey Epstein's estate. Follow live updates here.
U.S. strikes 2 more alleged drug boats, bringing total death count to over 100
The U.S. military says it struck two more alleged drug-carrying boats on Thursday, bringing the total death toll from the Trump administration's monthslong campaign to upwards of 100.
Retired NASCAR driver Greg Biffle and wife, kids among 7 killed in plane crash, officials say
Seven passengers aboard a business jet that crashed Thursday at a regional airport in North Carolina have died, the State Highway Patrol said.
TikTok signs deal for sale of U.S. operations to American investors
TikTok's China-based parent company ByteDance must sever ties with TikTok or lose access to U.S. app stores and web-hosting services
What we know about the suspect in the Brown and MIT professor shootings
Officials say the same gunman who opened fire at Brown University also killed an MIT professor two days later. Here's what we know about the suspect, who was found dead Thursday night.
Kathy Bates says Rob Reiner "changed the course of my life" with "Misery" role
Kathy Bates rose to prominence with her Oscar-winning breakout role in Rob Reiner's adaptation of Stephen King's "Misery" in 1990.
U.S.
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Noem says Brown suspect got U.S. visa through diversity lottery, pauses program
Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem says the Trump administration will pause the diversity visa lottery program, which she said was used by Brown University shooting suspect Claudio Manuel Neves Valente.
What we know about the suspect in the Brown and MIT professor shootings
Officials say the same gunman who opened fire at Brown University also killed an MIT professor two days later. Here's what we know about the suspect, who was found dead Thursday night.
Kathy Bates says Rob Reiner "changed the course of my life" with "Misery" role
Kathy Bates rose to prominence with her Oscar-winning breakout role in Rob Reiner's adaptation of Stephen King's "Misery" in 1990.
Brown University shooting suspect found dead, also killed MIT professor, officials say
The Brown University shooting suspect was found dead in a storage unit in Salem, New Hampshire. Authorities believe he is also responsible for killing an MIT professor.
This week on "Sunday Morning" (Dec. 21)
A look at the features for this week's broadcast of the Emmy-winning program, hosted by Jane Pauley.
MoneyWatch
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TikTok signs deal for sale of U.S. operations to American investors
TikTok's China-based parent company ByteDance must sever ties with TikTok or lose access to U.S. app stores and web-hosting services
Instacart to pay $60M in refunds over allegations it deceived customers
Instacart's "unlawful tactics" hurt shoppers and raised the cost of groceries, according to the FTC.
Trump announces "warrior dividend" for military. Here's what to know.
The president announced the one-time payments during his White House address on Wednesday. Here's what to know about timing, taxes and more.
Small businesses face affordability crunch as tariff and other costs rise
Some small business owners say they're struggling to stay afloat because of higher tariff, health insurance and energy costs.
CPI report shows the inflation rate rose at a 2.7% pace in November
Economists had expected CPI to rise at an annual rate of 3% last month.
Politics
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Noem says Brown suspect got U.S. visa through diversity lottery, pauses program
Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem says the Trump administration will pause the diversity visa lottery program, which she said was used by Brown University shooting suspect Claudio Manuel Neves Valente.
U.S. strikes 2 more alleged drug boats, bringing total death count to over 100
The U.S. military says it struck two more alleged drug-carrying boats on Thursday, bringing the total death toll from the Trump administration's monthslong campaign to upwards of 100.
Exclusive
Trump administration pauses immigration cases for people from another 20 countries
The U.S. government has expanded a sweeping pause on legal immigration applications to include those filed by people from an additional 20 countries, a U.S. official told CBS News.
Milwaukee judge found guilty of obstruction after allegedly helping migrant evade arrest
A jury convicted a Milwaukee judge on one count of felony obstruction Thursday, the Associated Press reported, after she was accused of helping a man who was in the U.S. illegally evade federal immigration authorities.
TikTok signs deal for sale of U.S. operations to American investors
TikTok's China-based parent company ByteDance must sever ties with TikTok or lose access to U.S. app stores and web-hosting services
HealthWatch
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Trump administration unveils proposals to cut off transgender care for minors
The proposals run counter to the recommendations of most major U.S. medical organizations.
Measles outbreaks worsen in South Carolina, Arizona and Utah
Nationally, the measles case count is nearing 2,000 for a disease that has been considered eliminated in the U.S. since 2000, a result of routine childhood vaccinations.
He made his brothers see a cardiologist. Each had advanced heart disease.
Kevin Murray was his family's health watchdog. His vigilance helped his brothers "avoid a real catastrophe."
Millions of Americans could see health plan costs double as ACA credits vanish
"I don't know how I'm going to pay for this," said one person with an Affordable Care Act plan that will cost her $1,100 a month starting in January.
Vaccine vote signals turbulence for immunization policy, public trust
Clinicians and epidemiologists warn the decision could unravel decades of progress and expose newborns to a deadly, preventable disease.
World
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TikTok signs deal for sale of U.S. operations to American investors
TikTok's China-based parent company ByteDance must sever ties with TikTok or lose access to U.S. app stores and web-hosting services
Witkoff to meet with Kremlin envoy in Miami on U.S. peace plan for Ukraine
A U.S. official says a Kremlin envoy will travel to Florida to discuss a U.S.-proposed plan to end the war in Ukraine.
Texas rabbi shot trying to help faces long recovery after Australia attack
As the youngest Bondi Beach shooting victim is mourned, a Texas couple tell CBS News about their "quick thinking" son's bid to intervene, and his road to recovery.
Teen inmate captured weeks after escaping prison with bedsheets
The inmate and another detainee fled an overcrowded jail after sawing through their cell bars with blades that investigators suspect were delivered by drone.
China fumes as White House announces record $10B in arms sales to Taiwan
The Trump administration's announcement of plan to sell Taiwan a record $10 billion worth of weapons draws an angry response from China.
Entertainment
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Kathy Bates says Rob Reiner "changed the course of my life" with "Misery" role
Kathy Bates rose to prominence with her Oscar-winning breakout role in Rob Reiner's adaptation of Stephen King's "Misery" in 1990.
Jelly Roll pardoned by Tennessee governor for robbery, drug convictions
Jelly Roll had said a pardon would make it easier for him to travel internationally for concert tours and to perform Christian missionary work without requiring burdensome paperwork.
Gloria Gaynor on how "I Will Survive" empowered her through a dark time
Gloria Gaynor told "CBS Mornings" her hit 1978 song gave her hope during one of the most difficult periods of her life.
Neil Patrick Harris talks new game show
Neil Patrick Harris says he's always loved game shows. He talks to "CBS Mornings" about how his passion started during his childhood and what it's like now hosting his own game show, "What's in the Box."
How Gloria Gaynor became the queen of disco
Gloria Gaynor's 1978 hit "I Will Survive" has been a motivational anthem for decades. The "Queen of Disco," a 2025 Kennedy Center Honoree, spoke to "CBS Mornings" about how the iconic song changed her outlook on life.
Technology
More Technology
Instacart to pay $60M in refunds over allegations it deceived customers
Instacart's "unlawful tactics" hurt shoppers and raised the cost of groceries, according to the FTC.
Helping teens develop healthy phone habits
Helping teens develop healthy habits around social media use and screen time is important when they first receive a smartphone. Pediatric psychologist Ann-Louise Lockhart, an Instagram brand spokesperson and author of the new book "Love the Teen You Have," joins "CBS Mornings" to share some advice and tools, such as Instagram Teen Accounts, that parents can use to help their teens. For more information on Instagram Teen Accounts, visit familycenter.meta.com. (Sponsored by Instagram)
How AI powered robots are helping small farms
From labor shortages to environmental impacts, farmers are looking to AI to help revolutionize the agriculture industry. One California startup, Farm-ng, is tapping into the power of AI and robotics to perform a wide range of tasks, including seeding, weeding and harvesting.
How artificial intelligence grew in 2025
In 2025, the integration of artificial intelligence into the U.S. economy and people's everyday lives grew to historic levels. CBS News senior business and technology correspondent Jo Ling Kent joins to recap how the transformative technology expanded over the past year, and what we can expect in 2026.
OpenAI, Amazon in talks over $10B investment
OpenAI, the developer for ChatGPT, and Amazon are in talks over a possible $10 billion investment. Mark DeCambre, editor-in-chief for MarketWatch, joins with more.
Science
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Major climate research center on Trump administration chopping block
The Trump administration intends to dismantle one of the world's leading climate research institutions, in Boulder, Colorado, over what it said were concerns about "climate alarmism."
Researchers capture video of rare polar bear adoption
The footage of a bear caring for an adopted cub was captured during the annual polar bear migration along the Western Hudson Bay in Churchill, Manitoba.
Dinosaur tracks showing "herds moving in synchrony" found in Italy
Most of the footprints are elongated and made by bipeds. The best-preserved ones bear traces of at least four toes.
Interstellar comet is making its closest approach to Earth
NASA continues to aim its space telescopes at the visiting ice ball, estimated to be up to 3.5 miles in size.
Fossil footprints in Bolivia reveal dinosaurs' awkward attempts to swim
Paleontologists have discovered and documented 16,600 footprints left by theropods, the dinosaur group that includes the Tyrannosaurus rex.
Crime
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What we know about the suspect in the Brown and MIT professor shootings
Officials say the same gunman who opened fire at Brown University also killed an MIT professor two days later. Here's what we know about the suspect, who was found dead Thursday night.
Officials: Brown shooter killed MIT professor
The gunman behind the shooting at Brown University also killed an MIT professor on Monday, according to Leah Foley, U.S. attorney for the District of Massachusetts. See Foley's full remarks from Thursday night.
Brown University shooting suspect found dead
The suspect in the Dec. 13 mass shooting on the campus of Brown University was found dead in a storage unit in Salem, New Hampshire, Thursday night. Jessi Mitchell anchored CBS News' special report.
New Hampshire search connected to Brown shooting
Police searched an area in Salem, New Hampshire, Thursday night in connection with the recent killings at Brown University and MIT, sources told CBS News Boston. CBS News' Katrina Kaufman reports and retired FBI special agent and profiler Mary Ellen O'Toole joins with analysis.
New Hampshire search connected to Brown shooting
Police are searching an area in Salem, New Hampshire, in connection with the Brown University mass shooting and the killing of the MIT professor, sources told CBS News Boston. CBS News Boston's Penny Kmitt reports and Jeff Harp, retired FBI assistant special agent in charge, joins with analysis.
Space
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Jared Isaacman, billionaire who's flown with SpaceX, confirmed to lead NASA
President Trump withdrew Isaacman's nomination for NASA administrator in April, before nominating him again in November.
Interstellar comet is making its closest approach to Earth
NASA continues to aim its space telescopes at the visiting ice ball, estimated to be up to 3.5 miles in size.
"Wet lava ball" exoplanet may have an atmosphere, evidence shows
Super-Earth TOI-561b is about 40 times closer to its host star than Mercury is to the sun.
NASA says Maven spacecraft that was orbiting Mars has gone silent
NASA has lost contact with a spacecraft that's been orbiting Mars for more than a decade.
Black hole spotted blasting winds at 130 million miles per hour
The European Space Agency said that the black hole inside the spiral galaxy NGC 3783 has the mass of 30 million suns.
Latest Galleries
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Notable Deaths in 2025
A look back at the esteemed personalities who've left us this year, who'd touched us with their innovation, creativity and humanity.
The life & near death of prizefighter Christy Salters-Martin
Christy Salters-Martin dominated in the boxing ring but faced her toughest challenger at home.
Timeline: The disappearance of George Smith
Family seeks answers in death of newlywed who disappeared in 2005 while on Mediterranean honeymoon cruise.
Who is Alix Tichelman?
Meet the tattooed beauty charged in the death of Google executive Forrest Hayes.
"Son of Sam": A serial killer's reign of terror
Calling himself the "Son of Sam" in a letter left at one of the crime scenes, David Berkowitz claimed voices were ordering him to kill -- starting in the summer of 1976, he went on a 13-month spree of impulse killings in New York City that left six dead and seven injured
Latest CBS News Videos
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Latest CBS News Videos
The Uplift: Made with love
Visit a Uyghur restaurant in Southern California, where culture is shared and the food is made with love. Plus, a man who wanted to save his friends life by donating a kidney ends up saving his own life.
Officials: Brown shooter killed MIT professor
The gunman behind the shooting at Brown University also killed an MIT professor on Monday, according to Leah Foley, U.S. attorney for the District of Massachusetts. See Foley's full remarks from Thursday night.
Brown University shooting suspect found dead
The suspect in the Dec. 13 mass shooting on the campus of Brown University was found dead in a storage unit in Salem, New Hampshire, Thursday night. Jessi Mitchell anchored CBS News' special report.
Breaking down the November CPI report
Geoeconomics correspondent Erin Delmore joins CBS News to discuss the latest numbers on inflation.
New Hampshire search connected to Brown shooting
Police searched an area in Salem, New Hampshire, Thursday night in connection with the recent killings at Brown University and MIT, sources told CBS News Boston. CBS News' Katrina Kaufman reports and retired FBI special agent and profiler Mary Ellen O'Toole joins with analysis.