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It's increasingly likely Bernie Madoff will plead guilty when he appears in court next Thursday. One of the disgraced financier's attorneys, Daniel Horwitz, said today that Madoff will waive a grand jury indictment when new charges are filed against him by prosecutors next week. The Journal explains:

Next week, the government is expected to file a charging document known as an information, which will lay out allegations against Mr. Madoff and list numerous criminal charges against him, this person said. A hearing in which he would be arraigned on the charges is set for Thursday. After that, Mr. Madoff might plead guilty immediately but he also could still decide to plead "not guilty" and pursue a jury trial, said the person familiar with the matter.

The good news: It's not expected that a plea deal would involve a more lenient sentencing recommendation or any lesser charges. Also good news: If you were fortunate to be in the vicinity of Astor Place today, you may have had the pleasure of seeing a Bernie Madoff look-alike roaming around.

Moves Heighten Expectations of Madoff Plea [WSJ]
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