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New York - A former manager and a former computer programmer at Bernard Madoff's firm have been sentenced to prison for helping the convicted fraudster run a multi-billion dollar Ponzi scheme.
Annette Bongiorno, who began working as Madoff's secretary in the 1960s and had become a manager when the firm collapsed in 2008, was sentenced to six years in prison, although this was below the eight- to 10-year term even her lawyers had requested.
The programmer, Jerome O'Hara, was sentenced a few hours later to 2-1/2 years in prison.
Innumerable victims
Both defendants were sentenced by US District Judge Laura Taylor Swain, who presided over the trial in which they and three former colleagues were convicted of securities fraud, conspiracy and other charges in March.
"Dreams and trust were shattered, charitable foundations wiped out and innumerable people left to wonder what's next," she said during O'Hara's sentencing.
The judge also ordered Bongiorno and O'Hara to forfeit a symbolic $155bn and $19.7bn, respectively, jointly with other defendants who worked at the company.
The sentences come two days prior to the sixth anniversary of the uncovering of Madoff's fraud, on11 December 2008.
Running the fraud
Madoff is serving a 150-year prison term after pleading guilty in 2009 to running the fraud that cost investors more than an estimated $17bn in principal.
Prosecutors accused Bongiorno, O'Hara, operations director Daniel Bonventre, manager Joann Crupi and computer programmer George Perez of helping Madoff hide his fraud through fake documents and bogus transactions.
The defendants have said Madoff deceived them into believing his business was legitimate. They are expected to appeal.
