This image was lost some time after publication.
This image was lost some time after publication.

Brace yourselves. We just may have pinpointed the whereabouts of Ruth Madoff. (She's been at an "undisclosed location" since she was forced out of her East 64th Street penthouse last week.) A reliable source who has been in touch with acquaintances of the family tells us she's been staying at the home of her niece, Diane Hochman, in Hewlett, Long Island.

Hochman is the daughter of Joan Roman, Ruth's sister. Joan's husband, Robert Roman, used to work at Bernard L. Madoff Investment Securities until he retired a couple of years ago. His responsibilities were then handed over to Seth Hochman, Diane's husband and Joan's son-in-law, who worked for his uncle, Bernie, until the firm came crumbling down. Confused yet? It's a tangled web.

We've made numerous attempts today to reach Ruth at the Hochman house to confirm she's there, but we've been getting voicemail. (Perhaps they know better than to answer the phone.) Hopefully one of the fine tabloids in town can do the legwork here and get someone out to Hewlett to surprise her on the front lawn.

In the meantime, photos of the Hochman home—which was put up for sale for $799,000 last year but has since been pulled from the market—appear below.

This image was lost some time after publication.