Madoff victim turns to art therapy

SANTA FE, N.M., Nov. 13 (UPI) -- A New Mexico senior who lost her savings in Bernie Madoff's Ponzi scheme says she has taken to drawing portraits of the convict as therapy.

Marcia Cohen of Santa Fe, who is in her 70s, said she lost her savings to Madoff, who pleaded guilty in March to 11 felonies, and began drawing unflattering portraits of the scammer as a form of art therapy, The (Santa Fe) New Mexican reported Friday.

Cohen said the portraits include a "hideous" drawing of Madoff with claws, a tail and a forked tongue. Another features Madoff riding a pig labeled "SEC" for the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, which Cohen said she blames for the loss of her money.

"They said over and over, after many people pointed out to them that this couldn't be good, they told us as little investors -- and, believe me, I'm a little investor -- that Madoff was safe and good, thereby sucking in an enormous number of people," she said. "They told The Wall Street Journal that Madoff had passed all inspections."