By Erin Geiger Smith
Dec 13 (Reuters) - Prosecutors in New York asked a federal
judge to sentence Bernard Madoff's younger brother to 10 years
in prison for the role he played in the multibillion-dollar
Ponzi scheme, according to court papers filed Thursday.
Peter Madoff pleaded guilty in Manhattan federal court in
June to criminal charges including conspiracy to commit
securities fraud and making false filings with the U.S.
Securities and Exchange Commission.
As part of Peter Madoff's June plea deal, he agreed not to
seek a sentence other than 10 years, according to the filing.
Peter Madoff "committed very serious crimes that served to
conceal and perpetuate a multi-billion dollar fraud scheme" and
"engaged in a vast fraud scheme by which tens of millions of
dollars were transferred within the Madoff family" to avoid
paying taxes and enrich himself and his family, the filing said.
Peter Madoff is scheduled to be sentenced on Dec. 20, 2012.
Bernard Madoff is serving a 150-year prison term and was
ordered to forfeit $170.8 billion.
Peter Madoff served as the chief compliance officer and
senior managing direct of Bernard L. Madoff Investment
Securities. At his plea hearing, he denied knowing about Bernard
Madoff's decade-long fraud until his brother confessed to him in
December 2008.
In October, attorneys for Madoff asked that his sentencing,
which was then scheduled for Nov. 9, be delayed to allow him
time to file accurate, amended tax returns for 1998-2008. The
plea agreement required that he file the amended returns.
An attorney for Peter Madoff was not immediately available
for comment.
The case is U.S. v. O'Hara et al, U.S. District Court,
Southern District of New York, No. 10-cr-00228.
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