Madoff in court to face his victims

The man accused of the biggest fraud in American history arrived in court in New York today to plead guilty and face his victims.

Bernard Madoff was set to admit up to 11 charges relating to his pyramid scheme which fleeced billions of dollars from hundreds of investors over the course of more than 20 years.

At least 20 of his victims had asked to address the court after Madoff, 71, entered his plea.

Prosecutors were set to call for his immediate imprisonment with the expectation that he would get a 150-year sentence.

The charges faced by the former chairman of the Nasdaq stock exchange include fraud, money laundering, perjury, making a false filing to the US financial watchdog and theft from an employee benefit plan.