of mark madoff, son of bernard madoff, found dead

Madoff son found dead of apparent suicide: Mark Madoff, the son of Bernard Madoff, was found hanging from a ceiling pipe with a dog leash around his neck.

Mark Madoff, the son of convicted Ponzi-schemer Bernard Madoff, apparently killed himself while his wife was out of town and his 2-year-old son was asleep in a nearby bedroom, New York police said Saturday.

Deputy New York Police Commissioner Paul Browne said Madoff's father-in-law discovered the body around 7:30 a.m. Saturday, while his grandson was sleeping in a back bedroom. Madoff was fully clothed and hanging from a ceiling pipe with a dog leash around his neck. The boy was unharmed.

Mark Madoff, far right, is seen with his father, disgraced financier Bernard, and mother, Ruth, in 2001 on Long Island. [photo via Newsday]

Prior to his death, Madoff e-mailed his wife in Florida with "words to the effect that someone should check on his son," Browne said.

Neither Browne nor Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly would say if Madoff had left a suicide note. But Kelly said that Madoff sent multiple e-mails to various family members "during the morning hours" on Saturday.

Read the rest of the story here.

71-year-old Bernard Madoff (Bernie Madoff) is currently serving a 150-year prison sentence for masterminding the largest Ponzi scheme ($150 billion) in U.S. history.