Yes! I wondered the same w/ Madoff too. Look at our social security system. They take from current workers ("investors") to pay previous workers ("investors"). That's a ponzi scheme!! So the gov can do it but Madoff fries for it??? (Mind you, I despise Madoff, but just proving a point that how can it be legal for some and not for others unless, like Martha, something scared the sh!t out of them)