Bernard Madoff pleads guilty

Attorney Mark Peltz, who represents victims in the scandal, enters the Federal Courthouse.  (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times)

Bernard Madoff arrives at court. A chastened Madoff told a packed courtroom that he was deeply sorry for the Ponzi scheme, which he said began in the 1990s during an economic downturn.  (Louis Lanzano / Associated Press)

Helen Davis Chaitman is a member of a firm that lost money in the Maddoff scandal.  (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times)

Ilene Kent enters the Federal Courthouse in New York. She and her family were victims of the Madoff Ponzi scandal.  (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times)

Ronnie Sue Ambrosino, center, and her husband, Dominic Ambrosino, lost $1.66 million Bernard Madoff’s Ponzi scheme.  (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times)

Barbara Schwartz is escorted into court before Bernard Madoff pleaded guilty to defrauding her and many other investors out of tens of billions of dollars.  (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times)

Miriam Siegman, a victim of Bernard Madoff’s scheme, celebrates his guilty plea and detention as she leaves the federal courthouse in New York.  (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times)

Bert Ross speaks to reporters outside of federal court in New York after Bernard Madoff pleaded guilty to fraud charges and was remanded into custody. Ross was a victim of the ponzi scheme.  (Stan Honda / AFP/Getty Images)

Ponzi scheme victim Judith Welling speaks to reporters outside the courthouse.  (Stan Honda / AFP/Getty Images)

DeWitt Baker, center, a victim of Bernard Madoff, talks to reporters outside the federal court.  (Timothy A. Clary / AFP/Getty Images)

An artist rendering of Bernard Madoff as he pleads guilty in federal court.  (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times)

Ronnie Sue Ambrosino, center, and her husband, Dominic Ambrosino, left, say they lost $1.66 million in the Bernard Madoff scandal.  (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times)