<br><br><div class="gmail_quote">On Mon, Dec 29, 2008 at 10:24 AM, Saul Stokar <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:sstokar@gmail.com">sstokar@gmail.com</a>></span> wrote:<br><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="border-left: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0.8ex; padding-left: 1ex;">
<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>
</blockquote></div><br>Lich'ora keeping Madoff Profits is mamash "choleik im a haganav" albeit beshoggeig. <br clear="all"><br>-- <br>Kol Tuv - Best Regards,<br>RabbiRichWolpoe@Gmail.com<br>see: <a href="http://nishmablog.blogspot.com/">http://nishmablog.blogspot.com/</a><br>
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