The greatest negotiator in history. Just another ploy?

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3. he and maddoff are both con men, but they are very much not alike.

maddoff's scam was very intelligent and sophisticated. he got away with it for years because he kept on top of the facts and manipulated them and the results in order to create a careful illusion that served him. it unraveled only when the truth came out.

donnie is the complete opposite end of the con artist spectrum. he tells lie upon lie, and it's so obvious that he's lying. no one is being fooled, not really. his con works because he rejects the notion that he should be held accountable for lying, and then everyone doubts everyone else's willingness and eventually their ability to enforce punishment for him lying.

very, very different from madoff.