"Out of consideration for the family's privacy," Bernie Madoff says he won't seek permission to attend the funeral of his son Mark, who committed suicide Saturday. The investigations into Mark Madoff's role in the family fraud will continue.

Family friends say that Ruth Madoff blames Bernie for their son Mark's suicide, and believes this is "the end of the family." Mark Madoff hanged himself with a dog leash in his apartment Saturday morning. No one deserves that. [NYP]

Mark Madoff, the 46-year-old son of Bernie Madoff, was found dead in his Manhattan apartment this morning in an apparent suicide. Earlier this week, Mark (left) and his brother Andrew were sued by the trustee handling Bernie's victims' claims. [NYP]

Earlier today, the U.S. Marshall's Service previewed nearly 500 possessions of Ponzi schemer Bernie Madoff and his wife, Ruth, that it will auction off on Saturday. Up for grabs: a bed, piano, 10-carat diamond ring, and shoes. Lots of shoes.

The Securities and Exchange Commission has set up a huge new $452 million fund for whistleblowers in the finance industry. As the saying goes: If you see something (or your shady co-workers doing something) say something! You could get paid.

The Way We Live Now: a sort of Ebay lifestyle. Back when we were pocketing billions, we never thought we'd be auctioning off our bedroom slippers just to make ends meet. Then again, we never thought China'd have money. China???

ABC News tracked down Ruth Madoff, wife of Ponzi schemer Bernie, and she was sitting at a Le Pain Quotidian in Midtown with her hair dyed red. You'll never believe what she said to the camera. It's shocking. Shocking!

Prosecutors are now going after the assets of two of Bernie Madoff's "back office" staffers, who oversaw the day-to-day operations of his scam. They handled office paperwork, and they're both multimillionaires? Guilty. Also—you guys seen $9 billion anywhere? [WSJ]

Bernie Madoff's ex-finance boss Frank DiPascali, former millionaire, was released yesterday on $10 million bail. He plead guilty to fraud and whatnot. More importantly, what the hell is he wearing, nurse shoes? Only Jerry Seinfeld can wear shoes that white.

Bernie Madoff in prison is just as fascinating as Bernie Madoff on house arrest. What's he doing in there? If a prisoner snitching to a yellow tabloid can be trusted, he's blabbing about a secret multibillion-dollar stash! And being depressed.

After a rocky start, Bernie Madoff has finally settled into prison life. He hangs with spies, haggles over laundry, and bitches about his former clients: "I carried them for twenty years, and now I'm doing 150 years."

Ponzi-schemer Bernie Madoff's sons Mark and Andrew, and his brother Peter, will face charges according to the AP and WSJ, who say they're likely to be accused of tax fraud, provided they escape securities fraud allegations. [AP, WSJ]

A toy mogul who made his fortune on Cabbage Patch Dolls and Pokemon will be moving with his wife into Bernie Madoff's' old UES penthouse apartment. "We like to have fun, fun, fun," the wife said. Clearly pathological. [NYP]

The Journal is confirming speculation that Bernie Madoff was beaten in prison last December.

According to the New York Post the latest email wheeze by those cheeky fraudsters promises to return millions Madoff hid in Malaysia. As they're offering ridiculous returns for very little risk, we predict a huge take up rate. [NYP]

A judge ruled yesterday that if you invested with Bernie Madoff, but withdrew all the money you invested, you didn't actually "lose" money, regardless of the fictional account balance Madoff presented you. Take one guess who disagrees with this.

Stephanie Madoff, the wife of Bernie Madoff's son Mark, wants to change her last name to "Morgan," for obvious reasons. So if you come across a "Stephanie Morgan," you know...we're sure she's nice and all. [WSJ. Pic via]

We haven't heard much about the Madoff clan the past few months. That's not because the feds grew bored and decided to give up. They've been quietly assembling a case against Bernie's brother (Peter) and two sons (Andy and Mark), and may eventually charge them with tax fraud for using Bernard L. Madoff Investment Securities as their "personal piggy bank":

Bernie Madoff's sons and brother face charges of criminal tax-fraud. (They are also accused of totally knowing about Bernie's fraud, because they all deposited like ten bucks in their "investment accounts" and then withdrew several millions of dollars.)

• Conan O'Brien's tenure as Tonight Show host has ended, but it looks like he and wife Liza may be planning to stay in LA, since they're reportedly looking to unload their penthouse duplex at the Majestic on Central Park West. The 17th and 18th-floor spread, which features three terraces and Central Park Views, is being "quietly" shopped around for $35 million. [NYP]
• The buyer of Bernie and Ruth Madoff's penthouse has been revealed. It's Al Kahn, the CEO of 4Kids Entertainment and the man behind Pokemon and the Cabbage Patch Kids, who is said to be buying the place at at 133 East 64th Street for "just under" the asking price of $8.9 million. [NYP, previously]
• Jimmie Johnson has unloaded one apartment and picked up another. The Nascar driver has sold his 3,200-square-foot loft at 32 West 18th Street, which he put on the market last year, for $4 million. Meanwhile, he and his wife paid $8.33 million for a condo in the Superior Ink building on W. 12th St. [NYT]