Ex Madoff executive gets 10 years' jail

A former Bernie Madoff executive has been jailed for 10 years for his part in the company's years-long multibillion-dollar fraud.

Bernard Madoff's former director of operations for investments has been sentenced to 10 years in prison.

Sixty-seven-year-old Daniel Bonventre was sentenced on Monday in federal court in New York for his part in the company's years-long multi-billion-dollar fraud.

Four other defendants are expected to learn their fate in coming days.

The government has said they're the most culpable defendants after Madoff for a fraud that cost thousands of investors nearly $US20 billion ($A22 billion).

In court papers, the government said their crimes involved ongoing and systematic deception.

For years, they repeatedly lied to investors, regulators, auditors and banks.

Madoff was arrested in December 2008. He is serving a 150-year prison sentence.