How come are these two swindlers also huge philanthropists?

The irony and paradox confounds:

"[…] Mr. Dreier, who grew up on Long Island, the son of a refugee from
Poland who owned movie theaters, evolved into a bon vivant who belonged
to the Harmonie Club and was a staple of high-wattage charity events[…]." (from NYT, "Lawyer Seen as Bold Enough to Cheat the Best")

and

"[…]They were renowned for their charitable work and gave away millions to arts and education groups and Jewish charities. They also served on the boards of several prominent foundations, theatres and colleges.[…] (from The Telegraph, "Bernie Madoff: Profile of a Wall Street star")

Oh well.

charity swindlers