{ Madoff Whistleblower Markopolos to Speak at NCCC }

SANBORN, N.Y. (March 12, 2009) — Harry Markopolos, a 30-year veteran of the financial industry and Bernie Madoff whistleblower, will discuss “Blowing the Whistle on Bernie Madoff: Gift Wrapping & Delivering the Truth about the Largest Ponzi Scheme Ever” at Niagara County Community College April 21 at 12:30 p.m. in the Arts and Media Theatre on the Sanborn campus. Admission is free and open to the public and is sponsored by Niagara County Community College Student Government.

Markopolos blew the whistle on Madoff and his $50 billion Ponzi scheme, unearthing what is believed to be the largest financial fraud in history.

For over 10 years, Markopolos, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) and Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE), diligently pursued the truth in the numbers of Madoff and his unbelievably huge profits. Figuring out the Madoff fraud before anyone else, Markopolos waved red flags and delivered detailed documentation to the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) in 2000, 2001, 2005, 2007 and again in 2008.

“It took me five minutes to know that it was a fraud. It took me another almost four hours of mathematical modeling to prove that it was a fraud,” Markopolos said.

Repeatedly ignored by the SEC and relying on his own dogged determination and a small, tightly knit, team of trusted allies, he finally overcame the indifference of governmental agency and broke the scandal to the public.

Markopolos has become a hero for our time, been profiled on 60 Minutes, in The Wall Street Journal, and is fielding movie offers.

A crusader for the truth, he continues to fight against other potential frauds, focusing on the financial industry and the massive $500 billion Medicare program. Specializing in the forensic investigation of False Claims Act and IRS Tax Fraud cases, Markopolos typically handles cases $500 million and up, and that involve CEO and CFO management-led fraud schemes. In his work, he often operates under the direction of lawyers at highly specialized law firms, many of whom are former Assistant U.S. Attorneys who prosecuted high-level, white-collar cases.

In addition to his role as a CFE, Markopolos served as Chief Investment Officer and Vice President/Portfolio Manager at Rampart Investment Management Company until 2004. Prior to that, he was an Assistant Portfolio Manager for Equity & Fixed Income Derivatives at Darien Capital Management and a Registered Option Principal & NASDAQ OTC Market-Maker for Makefield Securities. His 17 years in derivatives management includes evaluating all facets of risk: operational, market, model, counter-party credit, liquidity and legal. He has also spent 13 years in Quantitative Equity Portfolio Management.