Things like this are not supposed to happen in Palm Beach. In Palm Beach, people look both ways before easing their Bentleys out into the street. Gardeners vastly outnumber the residents of its high-hedged waterfront mansions. Public water bowls for dogs have brass faucets.

Palm Beach is where money goes to retire, not to evaporate. But Bernard Madoff’s alleged $50bn investment scam has struck residents of this fairy tale spot with a bone-shattering thud. As the shock sets in, various members of a community that is saturated with conspicuous wealth are now trying to remain as inconspicuous as possible.