<div dir="ltr">Does anyone know of a halachic precedent that would require those who made money by investing in Madoff's fund to return some or all of their ill-gotten gains to those who lost money? After all, if you purchase a stolen item (even unwittengly) from a thief (before ye'ush i.e. before the owner abandons hope of getting it back) you have to return the item to its owner. Clearly there are differences between a stolen object and an investment with one of Madoff's funds (e.g. the investment was given to be used (lehotza'a mitna) rather than as a deposit (pikadon)). None the less, due to the pyramidal nature of the (alleged) fraud, the profits of the
early investors come directly from the pockets of the latecomers.<br><br>Saul Stokar<br>Raanana, Israel<br></div>