NEW YORK, July 2 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. Marshals Service took possession of disgraced financier Bernard Madoff's Manhattan penthouse on Thursday.

U.S. Marshal Roland Ubaldo (R) speaks to the media outside the apartment building of disgraced financier Bernard Madoff in New York City's upper east side July 2, 2009. (Xinhua/Reuters Photo) Photo Gallery>>>

    The marshals arrived at the property at noon with a court order permitting them to take custody of the apartment and to make anyone living there move out, said local media.

    Madoff's wife Ruth had been advised in advance of the marshals' plans and was leaving the residence and surrendering all personal property.

U.S. Marshals walk out of the building that housed disgraced financier Bernard Madoff Thursday, July 2, 2009 in New York. (Xinhua/Reuters Photo) Photo Gallery>>>

    Last week, Ruth Madoff agreed to give up all of her possessions in return for a promise that federal prosecutors would not go after 2.5 million U.S. dollars she can keep.

    The 71-year-old Madoff was sentenced Monday to 150 years in prison. He pleaded guilty in March to charges that his investment advisory business was a multibillion-dollar Ponzi scheme that wiped out thousands of investors and ruined charities.