The trustee for Bernie Madoff’s brokerage firm is establishing a program for hardship cases to recover some of their money as soon as possible.

Irving Picard, the court-appointed trustee for the liquidation of Bernard L. Madoff Investment Securities LLC, announced Friday a “hardship program” designed to accelerate claims for individuals in need as a result of the alleged fraud at the firm. The program is to identify such cases, and once identified, Picard will work with the individual to review and determine the claim on an expedited basis.

The hardship program is only available to individual account holders, and not to corporations, partnerships and other business entities. Eligibility for the program will be based on indicators of need, such as an inability to pay for necessary living expenses, such as housing, food, utilities and transportation, inability to pay medical expenses, a necessity to return to work for retirees, the threat of declaring personal bankruptcy.

IE