Harry Markopolos, who was hip to the Bernard Madoff (Bernard Madoff news) scandal before anyone else, is certainly having his day in the sun. After a decade of trying to bring down the man who ran the biggest known Ponzi Scheme, he has largely been vindicated--in the eyes of Congress, the SEC (SEC news), Wall Street and the public. Understandably, he'd like to cash in while he still can. And he's turned his tale into a book, "No One Would Listen, A True Financial Thriller."

He has an amazing story. He dedicated himself to bringing down Madoff and did under a "death threat." He had every reason to believe Madoff was mixed up with drug cartel leaders the Russian Mob. So whenever he started a car, he first checked the chassis and the wheel wells. When he Xeroxed evidence, he did so at least once with gloves on to avoid finger prints. At night, he slept with a loaded gun nearby. He also started carrying a Smith and Wesson and asked the police in Whitman, Massachusetts for round the clock protection.   

He was apparently prepared to use that gun. If Madoff threatened him, he wrote that he would've had no choice but to "take him out," according to some choice excerpts in the Huffington Post. "In that situation I felt I had no other options. I was going to kill him." Wow! I believe him. You do not want this guy aligned against you. 

This guy got some good advice when it comes to writing a block buster. He appears to have adroitly used some of the pulp aspects to market a book with a larger point: How could this have gone on so long. While he has been vindicated, he's still piling on the many who just plain looked the other way. He's bent on calling out most of the SEC staffers, but he praises one in the Boston office who was stymied at every turn internally. As for the media, only two reporters got it. For the most part, he was met with deafening silence. 

But he's got the pulpit now, and wants to make the most of it.   

He has an interesting prescription for what ails the SEC. He tells Bloomberg TV that the agency should fight fire with fire and pay investigators bonuses for uncovering fraud. Nothing motivates like money after all--or obsession. - Jim