Thursday, Mar. 19, 2009

Bernie Madoff

AGE: 70
OCCUPATION: Ponzi schemer
PREVIOUS APPEARANCES ON THE TIME 100: 0

PRO: Madoff's last name has been a boon for bad-pun headline-writers everywhere. That's about the only good thing we can say about him.

CON: He bilked almost $50 billion through fraudulent investment deals, wiping out bank accounts around the world, crippling charities, and damaging an already vulnerable economy. And if that weren't enough to earn international scorn, he even ripped off Elie Wiesel.