NEW YORK (AP) - The chief counsel to the court-appointed trustee seeking to recover money for victims of Bernard Madoff's vast Ponzi scheme disputes a New York Times report in which the disgraced financier claims he met with the trustee.

David Sheehan said in a statement Feb. 16 that trustee Irving H. Picard never met with Madoff.

"There has been no direct communication between them at any time," he said.

The Times story published online Feb. 15 was based on Madoff's first interviews since his 2008 arrest.

He told the Times he helped Picard and his legal team by turning over information that would be helpful in recovering assets for victims. He said he met with Picard's team for four days last summer.

Madoff is serving a 150-year sentence in a North Carolina prison.