Lai See | Rare opportunity to bid for Bernie Madoff's Bull

We hear of a little something that might even interest the tycoon that has everything. Bernie Madoff's yacht Bull is back on the market after it was withdrawn from auction in 2009. French investment firm Meeschaert had filed a court order in France to have the yacht seized in an attempt to recover some of the losses it sustained at the hands of Madoff.

The liquidators tried to sell the yacht earlier this year in Monaco where the Gaim conference, one of the hedge fund industry's most glamour events, was being held. Potential bidders sipped champagne at a reception at a two-star Michelin restaurant while the boat zipped up and down Monaco harbour at about 40 knots.

The boat was reportedly offered for sale earlier this year at US$4.3 million, which is a fraction of its original US$8 million. However, a press release from broker Debutesq suggests the price has slid further when it says the underwriters were seeking offers of €1.9 million (HK$19.6 million).

The yacht is an 88-foot Leopard and can be seen at the Monaco Yacht Show, which runs from September 25 to 28. One of its distinctive features is that its catering equipment has never been used since Madoff was fastidious about mess and wouldn't allow food on board. It also comes with monogrammed towels and bespoke bed covers with the initials of Ruth and Bernie Madoff. Given his 150-year jail sentence, he is unlikely to be needing those again.