Free Republic

An investigation by The Daily reveals that federal government agencies bought 1,002 ergonomic chairs from 2005 to 2011. All but 194 of them were Aerons. Uncle Sam spent at least $497,494 on the chairs during that period, at an average cost of more than $500 each. Among the evidence of the federal government’s unbridled enthusiasm for pricey chairs: – The State Department spent $128,036 on 235 Aerons in December 2009 to furnish its Bureau of Overseas Building Operations in Arlington, Va. – The Army dropped $82,925 on 194 Raynor Eurotech Ergohuman chairs in August 2007 for Fort Sam Houston in...

It was recently uncovered that Madoff kept detailed notes about his activites and that some "investors" made deals, demanding specific returns on investments.....meaning they were in on the scam. Some investors also wrote Madoff personal checks......evidence of tax evasion and money laundering. Jeffrey Picower and Stanley Chais, two philanthropists who are the target of lawsuits brought by Irving Picard, the trustee liquidating the Madoff firm. Garmento Carl Shapiro, a close friend of Madoff, is also under criminal investigation....... Authorities are going after these people under the legal concept of "fraudulent conveyance"----meaning one cannot profit from a fraud. REFERENCE CBS'...

U.S. prosecutors have broadened their criminal investigation of the Bernard Madoff case beyond the friends and family of the confessed swindler to at least eight investors and associates, The Wall Street Journal reported Monday, citing people familiar with the matter. The paper named three investors under investigation by the U.S. Attorney's Office, including Jeffry Picower and Stanley Chais, two philanthropists who are the target of lawsuits brought by the trustee liquidating the Madoff firm. Carl Shapiro, a women's clothing entrepreneur and close friend of Madoff, is also under criminal investigation, the article said. Investigators have gathered evidence of Picower and...

REUTERS A lawsuit charges hedge-funder Ezra Merkin "knew or should have known" that Madoff was a fraud, and seeks $500M from Merkin's funds. Merkin's Gabriel Capital Corp. received $tens of millions in fees from deals with Madoff. Stanley Chais of California was charged last Friday. Microsoft's wholly owned affiliate, Microsoft Licensing GP, one of the pioneers in the field of computerized stock trading, joined the Bankruptcy Court case against Madoff, but declined to discuss its claims against the swindler.