His website said: "The owner's name is on the door. Clients know that Bernard Madoff has a personal interest in maintaining the unblemished record of value, fair-dealing, and high ethical standards that has always been the firm's hallmark."

Can it have been only a year ago? The story still sounds as unlikely as every other part of the operation: Madoff called in his two sons to explain why he wanted to pay out staff bonuses early, despite having problems meeting a $7 billion call for investor ...