Bernie Madoff whistleblower to give Sutton ethics lecture

LAWRENCE — Harry Markopolos, known internationally as the man who discovered Bernie Madoff’s massive Ponzi scheme, will present the 2014 Walter S. Sutton Ethics Lecture on Monday, Nov. 10, at the Kansas City Club.

His talk is free and open to the public, but registration is required.

Markopolos’ takedown of Madoff began in 2000 when he was assigned to deconstruct and recreate Madoff’s investment strategy. Upon discovering massive fraud, he began forwarding information to the SEC, though no one would listen.

His 2005 memo to SEC regulators, “The World’s Largest Hedge Fund is a Fraud,” went unnoticed until years later when his research and memos played a vital role in the SEC’s 2008 investigation and Madoff’s subsequent conviction for the largest financial fraud in U.S. history, earning Markopolos his industry nickname, “The Bernie Madoff Whistleblower.”

Markopolos is a distinguished fraud investigator and forensic accountant, and he serves as a member of the Boston chapter of the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners, Taxpayers Against Fraud Education Fund, the Boston chapter of the Institute of Internal Auditors and Chartered Financial Analysts Institute.

The Sutton Ethics Lecture Series is held in memory of Walter S. Sutton, a 1939 School of Business alumnus. Before his death in 1985, he devoted much of his time to civic organizations. This lecture series highlights the importance of ethics and value systems in business.

Attendees can register for the event online.