Bernie Madoff’s sister and her husband dead in murder-suicide in Palm Beach home, cops say
Sondra Wiener and Marvin Wiener, who reportedly lost millions in the investment scam run by Sondra’s brother, Bernie Madoff, were found in their home dead of gunshot wounds Thursday afternoon, Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office said.
“After further investigation it appears to be a murder/suicide,” PBSO said.
Sondra Wiener was 87. Marvin Wiener was 90.
The news was first reported by Boca News Now on Saturday.
PBSO said deputies answering a 911 call around 12:55 p.m. Thursday concerning a man and a woman unresponsive in their home found the Wieners dead from gunshot wounds.
Who shot whom, PBSO did not state.
The Wieners lived in the Valencia Lakes area outside Boynton Beach proper, at 11259 Barca Blvd., in a 2,938-sq. ft. home that Palm Beach County online property records say they bought for $315,000 in December 2009.
That purchase came as they sifted through their economic wreckage wrought by Madoff’s multi-billion-dollar Ponzi scheme. After losing what son David Wiener told the New York Post back then was $3 million to Sondra’s scamming brother, Palm Beach County property records say they sold their 3,409-sq. ft. country club home in the Palm Beach Gardens Ballenisles subdivision at a $75,000 loss in May 2009.
Madoff died in federal prison last April 14 at the age of 82. He was serving a 150-year sentence after convictions on 11 counts of crime, including fraud, swindling, money laundering and embezzlement.
Self harm, especially to the point of taking your own life, is never a good answer to life problems. If you feel like self harm, talk to someone or several someones. The National Suicide Prevention Hotline, 800-273-TALK (8255), is there 24 hours a day, seven days a week for people in emotional distress.
This story was originally published February 20, 2022 at 1:30 PM.
