Computer programmers indicted in Bernard Madoff fraud

Two former employees accused of helping fraudulent Wall Street financier Bernard Madoff programme an old computer to generate false records have been indicted.

Yesterday's indictment accuses computer programmers Jerome O'Hara and George Perez of conspiracy, falsifying records of a broker dealer and falsifying records of an investment adviser.

The men originally were charged in a criminal complaint before the case was presented to a federal grand jury, which returned the indictment.

O'Hara and Perez each remain free on $1 million bail. Defense lawyers say the men will plead not guilty.

The 71-year-old Madoff is serving a 150-year sentence after admitting his multi-decade pyramid scheme cost thousands of investors billions of dollars.