[toomuchtodo]

Bernie Madoff ran his scheme for almost 20 years before being caught.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Madoff_investment_scandal

[muddi900]

Madoff claims he was just a front-man for a conspiracy by large investors. Which is why he was supposedly not caught.

The theory makes sense, but he refused to name names. It might be that the benefactors are too powerful, but probably he's lying.