It was the largest Ponzi scheme in history -- and its lessons will live far longer than its architect, who is now serving a 150-year prison term for his crimes. The entire compliance community needs to understand how Madoff challenged public and regulatory assumptions about Ponzi schemers, what he exposed about financial due diligence and what he revealed about the ways human psychology undermines market safety. Besides offering a compelling human drama, the Madoff scandal poses timeless questions for those tasked with keeping organizations safe and honest.