Victims of Bernard Madoff's Ponzi scheme can expect to soon receive another $568 million to help cover their losses, the U.S. Department of Justice said on Thursday, boosting total recoveries above $18 billion, Reuters reported. Payouts to nearly 31,000 victims will come from the Madoff Victim Fund, a $4.05 billion government fund set up in 2013 and overseen by former U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission Chairman Richard Breeden. Following the latest distribution, its seventh, the fund will have paid out more than $3.7 billion to individuals, schools, charities, pension plans and others. More than 42,000 claimants are eligible for payouts. The latest distribution boosts their recovery from all sources to 81.35% of their losses, the Justice Department said. Another $14.5 billion has been recouped for customers of the former Bernard L. Madoff Investment Securities LLC by the court-appointed trustee liquidating that firm in bankruptcy.
