NY Times’ Henriques on getting Madoff to talk

Cindy Adams of the New York Post interviewed former New York Times reporter Diana Henriques about how the got Ponzi schemer Bernie Madoff to talk as the HBO movie based on her book “The Wizard of Lies” launches.

Adams writes, “‘I was at my NY Times desk 4:15 when he was arrested. I’d covered him before and knew his defense lawyer. Our business editor said, ‘Go for it.’ I pursued the story nine months. I asked for interviews. Beginning when he was in the Correctional Center, I wrote letters making my case. I never gave up.

“‘When he went to federal prison, I kept at it. I heard nothing. I had his prison address, but you can’t be sure he received the mail. Months later, he answered.’

“Diana’s diamond earrings and black sequins twinkled as she spoke. ‘At first, he appeared amazingly well-managed. Took care of his appearance. Immaculate. Low-key. Earnest. A master at what he’d say. His biggest lie being to himself. Two hours. No tape recorder. Only a notebook. We traded letters and e-mails.

“‘After his son Mark’s suicide, it changed. Shirt open. Badly shaved. Disheveled. He wouldn’t talk about Mark or disrespect him.'”

Read more here. Henriques plays herself in the movie.