The trustee trying to recover money for victims of Bernard L. Madoff's infamous Ponzi scheme is trying to recoup more than $1.5 million of Madoff payouts from the family of David M. Becker, the general counsel of the Securities and Exchange Commission.

The lawsuit is part of trustee Irving H. Picard's campaign to “claw back” funds from investors who were net winners in the Ponzi scheme, meaning they took out more than they put in. The lawsuit does not accuse the Becker family of any wrongdoing.