Nov
18
2012

Son Of Bernie Madoff’s Accountant Commits Suicide

An article by Hojo's Mojo

The son of Bernard Madoff’s longtime accountant, Dave Friehling, has committed suicide in central Ohio, authorities have reported.

Jeremy Friehling, 23, was found dead at his apartment of a self-inflicted gunshot wound Thursday in Columbus, where he was a second-year student at Ohio State’s medical school, police there said.

He himself pleaded guilty to securities fraud in the scandal that arose from the Madoff Ponzi scheme.

According to the Associated Press, there was no indication that the Madoff investment scandal had anything to do with the suicide, there was a note that just said that he was sorry.

Bernard Madoff was arrested in 2008 and later admitted that his investment business was a multibillion-dollar Ponzi scheme. He was sentenced to 150 years in prison. Madoff’s son, Mark Madoff, committed suicide in December 2010, hanging himself in his New York City apartment.

Friehling’s father David, pleaded guilty in 2009 to securities fraud charges. He was Madoff’s accountant for nearly two decades and federal prosecutors said he turned a blind eye to Madoff’s cooked books.

This Madoff Ponzi scheme is sad in that it is still claiming victims over four years later.

About the Author: Rob Johnson

8 Comments + Add Comment

Dick Young Lives November 18, 2012 at 7:18 pm

They should have given Madoff the death penalty. This like the 5th or 6th suicide because of him.
- BadBadLeroyBrown November 19, 2012 at 6:45 am
  
  Cant put this blame on Bernie Madoff he didnt do this all alone, nor did he hold a gun to the head of these scum that helped him rob people blind.
  
  If they were never caught scum like Bernie,Mark Madoff, Jeremy Friehling and his father etc would have continued with this scam.
  
  I feel no pity for the whole lot of them. And im surprised anyone would feel sorry for them. They knowingly ruined lives, killing himself was taking the easy way out. The Victimizer can not become a victim.
  
  Ive noticed when i was younger whenever I did things that were considered bad and got away with it i felt relief/good getting away with it. But when i was caught for these offenses I felt shame and remorse.
  
  If he killed himself it wasnt Bernies fault it was his own greed if you wanna put blame on anyone blame his dad for raising him that way to cheat, steal etc.
  - Just-Da-Damaja November 19, 2012 at 7:23 am
    
    Not to be a conspiracy theorist…but one never knows why these suicides happened…
    
    esp when you consider how much government compliance was involved with this …
Bob L November 18, 2012 at 7:42 pm

This is tragic. There are no words…
Joey D. November 18, 2012 at 11:31 pm

Words cannot express the sadness of one taking his or her life when that life is so much ahead of them. Even though he was only 19 when the fraud was exposed meaning he was not in the position to be responsible for anything the sins of the father were too much of a weight of guilt for him to deal with.

Letting Madoff rot the rest of his life behind bars, his freedom taken away, the bitter memories of a life-style he was accustomed to and no longer has, having the guilt on his hands for the eight lives he took away – including his own son – isn’t punishment enough but at least there is some satisfaction – how little empty it might be – in knowing that he is going to live like this till his dying day.
Joey D. November 18, 2012 at 11:34 pm

** wanted to add that being the person he is, he might be devoid of any feeling of the blood stains that are on his hands including that of his own son. And if he isn’t, then living with that every day for the rest of his life is better than taking him out of his misery.
Sloatsburg Mets Fan November 19, 2012 at 7:59 am

This is a terrible tragic story that instead of fading over time seems to continue to claim victims. The web of deceit knows no bounds. Like Just, I am not really a conspiracy guy but I feel that nearly everyone close to this monster has some of the stink on them.

I feel terrible for this young man and his family. His father’s greed seems to have brought on a generational curse.
- Joey D. November 19, 2012 at 10:10 am
  
  Hi Slatsburg,
  
  Exactly the point when it comes to the sad ending for Jeremy Friehling, One year out of high school and a freshman in college, he was still only a kid and could not have been involved in the scheme in any manner. He just could not deal with the burden of being the son of one who did so much harm to others – but I suspect he had to be dealing with many other personal demons that were tormenting him thoughout his very short life span to have caused him to end his life.

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