Andrew Madoff breaks three years of silence with a book and a "60 Minutes" interview
Just in time for the release of Andrew Madoff鈥檚 book Monday, the Madoff family is back in the headlines with more hair-raising revelations. Coming less than two weeks after the release of his sister-in-law and Mark Madoff鈥檚 widow Stephanie Madoff Mack鈥檚 book, 鈥淭he End of Normal,鈥� Andrew鈥檚 forthcoming account will be the first inside account from the immediate family of Bernie Madoff.
Little is known about the book, but some details have leaked thanks to Ruth and Andrew Madoff鈥檚 recent and forthcoming media appearances. In a taped 鈥�60 Minutes鈥� episode that will air Sunday, how he learned, three years after the fact, that his parents had tried to commit suicide. He described receiving a package from his parents around Christmas with valuable and jewelry inside. Three years later, Andrew said, he asked his mother why she sent the package. 鈥淪he told me that she and my father planned to kill themselves and they put together that package beforehand,鈥� .
"I don't know whose idea it was, but we decided to kill ourselves because it was so horrendous what was happening," . "We had terrible phone calls. Hate mail, just beyond anything and I said '...I just can't go on anymore.' "
She said on Christmas Eve, she and her husband took as many Ambien pills as they had and went to sleep, hoping they would never wake up. 鈥淲e took pills and woke up the next day,鈥� . 鈥淚t was very impulsive and I am glad we woke up.鈥�
Andrew鈥檚 book will likely discuss how he learned about his parents鈥� attempted suicide, along with how Bernie Madoff confessed his crimes to his family, their reaction, and the ensuing stress that ultimately claimed brother Mark Madoff鈥檚 life in a suicide last year on the anniversary of his father鈥檚 arrest.
Andrew鈥檚 book may also be the mystery book, 鈥淯ntitled,鈥� by Anonymous, that Little, Brown & Company promised earlier this summer. At the time, 鈥渢he inside story of life with one of the most controversial figures of our time,鈥� and the publisher promised a 鈥�60 Minutes鈥� appearance timed for its release. And Catherine Hooper, Andrew Madoff鈥檚 fianc茅, is listed as a co-author. Still, 鈥淯ntitled鈥� was slated for a Nov. 14 release, and of course, its author is no longer Anonymous, so it鈥檚 not clear if this is indeed the mystery book.
Regardless, Andrew Madoff鈥檚 book will likely unravel some of the mystery surrounding the Madoff scheme and how the family is handling the aftermath. Stay tuned.
Husna Haq is a Monitor correspondent.
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