Cityfile: New York's Most Notable and Influential

Two More Years For Sam Israel | Remember Sam Israel, the druggie hedge fund manager who made off with $450 million, got caught, and was sentenced to 20 years in prison—but then tried to skip out on the sentence by faking his own death? Hopefully the two weeks Israel spent lost in the woods was worth it! Because it just earned him another two years behind bars. [NYP]

Dreier Gets 20 Years | Marc Dreier may get to see the light of day again, after all. Although prosecutors had asked a judge to sentence the scheming lawyer to a Madoff-like 145 years behind bars, U.S. District Judge Jed Rakoff handed him a 20-year term this afternoon. Dreier is 59, so he'll be a free man before he turns 80. Of course, that will still give him plenty of time to befriend big, buff black men, although presumably they won't be quite as harmless as former client Michael Strahan. [AP]

Madoff: The Scene Outside | The victims of Bernie Madoff reacted in different ways to the news he'd been sentenced to 150 years in prison. Burt Ross, the former mayor of Ft. Lee, New Jersey who lost $5 million to the Ponzi scheme (and who covered today's sentencing for The Daily Beast), celebrated by planting a kiss on his wife in front of the hundreds of reporters gathered. Other people assembled outside the courthouse with giant placards or strange looking figurines. A few photos of the zany scene outside the courthouse after the jump. More

Bernie Madoff appeared in a federal courtroom this morning to find out his fate for carrying out the biggest fraud in financial history. Judge Denny Chin sentenced Madoff to the maximum—150 years behind bars—telling the courtroom that he didn't believe Madoff's claim that he had cooperated with prosecutors, or that he had divulged all he knew about the scheme. Madoff's victims erupted in cheers after the sentence was handed down, Bernie barely reacted to the news, and now Madoff is off to change out of the "immaculate" suit he wore to court today and put on the prison jumpsuit he'll be wearing for the rest of his life. [CNN]

Ruth Takes a Pass | Subway-riding Ruth Madoff will not be attending her husband's sentencing on Monday, reports ABC News. (Nor will his two sons be there, although that was to be expected given they maintain they haven't had any contact with him since his arrest.) Whether Bernie himself will express remorse is anyone's guess, although the cop who was assigned to guard him during his arrest—and who appears on 20/20 tonight—isn't expecting him a stream of tears and apologies. "He did not seem like the most contrite person I've ever met." [ABC News]

Madoff in Dreamland | Ira Sorkin, Bernie Madoff's lawyer, has asked a federal judge to sentence the admitted fraudster to as little as 12 years in prison and no more than 20: "Sorkin said that a 12-year sentence would be appropriate because Madoff's life expectancy is now 13 years. As an alternative, he said that a 15-to-20 year term would 'effectively achieve' the goals of sentencing 'without disproportionately punishing Mr. Madoff.'" And we wouldn't want to do that, clearly. [Bloomberg]

Spector Sent Away | Record producer Phil Spector was sentenced to 19 years to life in prison for the murder of actress Lana Clarkson. He'll be eligible for parole in 2028, when he'll be 88. [AP]

Madoff Sentencing Postponed | Those of you waiting for a judge to throw the book at Bernie Madoff will have to wait a little longer. Madoff's sentencing has been pushed back from June 16 to June 29 because trying to decide who gets to speak at the proceeding has proven a wee bit complicated. Judge Denny Chin says it would be "impracticable" to have everyone who wants to address the court do so. (Presumably Chin was hoping to attend to other legal matters in 2009.) But it's not too late to turn in an application: "Those wanting to speak at next month's sentencing will need to e-mail the United States Attorney's office explaining why by June 10... Those selected to speak will be notified by June 15." [NYT/Dealbook]

Michael Alig: Four More Years | If you were eagerly awaiting the release of club kid (and convicted murderer) Michael Alig, it looks like you're going to have to wait a little while longer before you get a chance to take him back to the Limelight for a trip down memory lane.  Although Alig was due to be released next month after a 13-year stretch behind bars, an additional four years has been tacked on to his sentence, reportedly because he came up positive during a drug test. Oh, and if you're under the age of 25 and you have no idea who it is we're talking about, you'll find the full backstory here if you're interested. [BlackBook]

Spitzer Booker Gets Six Months | Cecil Suwal, the woman who helped coordinate "dates" between Eliot Spitzer and Ashley Dupre as an employee of the Emperors Club VIP escort service, has been sentenced to six months in prison. [NYP]

Ten Years for Lillo | Lillo Brancato Jr., the former Sopranos actor who was cleared of murder last month in connection with a botched burglary in 2005 that left an off-duty police officer dead, was sentenced to 10 years in prison today for attempted burglary. [NYT]