An accountant who worked for Bernard Madoff before cooperating in the investigation of Madoff�s massive Ponzi scheme has been sentenced to a year of home detention.

David Friehling apologized on Thursday before hearing his sentence.

Friehling began cooperating before prosecutors charged him with certifying Madoff�s fabricated financial records.

He pleaded guilty and testified last year at a trial where five of the firm�s insiders were convicted of aiding one of the largest frauds in U.S. history.

Prosecutors told the judge on Thursday that Friehling deserved credit for his cooperation.

(AP)