What was the final straw that uncovered the madoff ponzi scheme?

The final straw that uncovered Bernie Madoff's Ponzi scheme was the financial crisis of 2008, which led to a surge in withdrawal requests from his investors. As Madoff struggled to meet these demands, he was unable to generate the returns he had promised. This prompted him to confess to his sons, who reported him to authorities, ultimately leading to his arrest on December 11, 2008. The collapse of his scheme revealed a massive fraud that had lasted for decades.