The son of Bernard Madoff's longtime accountant, who himselfpleaded guilty to securities fraud in the scandal centered on the disgracedfinancier, has committed suicide in central Ohio, authorities said.
Jeremy Friehling, 23, was found dead at his apartment of aself-inflicted gunshot wound Thursday in Columbus, where he was a second-yearstudent at Ohio State's medical school, police there said.
There was no indication that the Madoff investment scandalhad anything to do with the suicide, Franklin County Coroner Jan Gorniak said.She said Friehling left a note that just said that he was sorry.
Police detective Jay Fulton confirmed Sunday that Friehlingleft a note but would not give details about its contents.
The Friehling family declined to comment and "asks thattheir privacy be respected at this difficult time," Andrew Lankler, anattorney for Friehling's father, said Sunday.
Bernard Madoff was arrested in 2008 and later admitted thathis investment business was a multibillion-dollar Ponzi scheme. He wassentenced to 150 years in prison. Madoff's son, Mark Madoff, committed suicidein December 2010, hanging himself in his New York City apartment.
Friehling's father, David, of New City, New York, pleadedguilty in 2009 to securities fraud charges. Madoff's accountant for nearly twodecades, he quickly came under scrutiny after the financier's spectacular scamcame to light. Federal prosecutors said he turned a blind eye to Madoff'scooked books.
David Friehling said he failed to do his job to verifyMadoff's financial records but insisted that he didn't know Madoff was rippingoff investors. He noted that he had put his own family's savings, includingcollege funds for his three children, into Madoff's investment business.
"In what was the biggest mistake of my life, I put mytrust with Bernard Madoff," Friehling told a judge.
Friehling has yet to be sentenced, as he is continuing towork with prosecutors. He pleaded guilty to charges that carry a potentialprison term of up to 114 years in prison, though substantial cooperation canresult in significant leniency. He also agreed to forfeit $3.1 million, whichrepresents what he was paid by Madoff for his accounting and tax services,along with what his family withdrew from their Madoff accounts.
Jeremy Friehling was "a friend to many and a brilliantstudent who gave selflessly of his time to tutor other students," said astatement from the dean of the Ohio State medical school, Charles Lockwood. Healso said Friehling had great promise as a future physician.