Bernard Madoff, the man behind a $65bn (£39bn) 'Ponzi' scheme that left thousands of investors reeling, will today be sentenced in a Manhattan court. The verdict is expected to be attended by hundreds of people, with prosecutors demanding a sentence of 150 years, the Financial Times reports. Earlier this month, liquidators Grant Thornton seized a luxury yacht that was paid for by international funds, a move that was dubbed 'a positive step for creditors'. But now investors and victims of the scheme want the harshest punishment for the fraudster, who has pleaded guilty to 11 counts of fraud. A handful of victims are expected to be allowed their say today, as will Madoff.