Walter L. Noel (1930-2020) was an American financier and investment manager who co-founded Fairfield Greenwich Group with Jeffrey H. Tucker, which became the largest feeder fund operation channeling investments to Bernie Madoff's Ponzi scheme. A graduate of Vanderbilt University, Noel had prior experience in finance before launching the firm, which catered to ultra-high-net-worth clients including European aristocracy and billionaires, aggressively marketing exclusive access to top strategies. He resided in the affluent suburb of Darien, Connecticut, and was known for his family's high-society connections, with daughters such as Sabina (married to Colombian billionaire Andrés Piedrahita) and Corina (married to Japanese businessman Takahiro Yamauchi), and others wed to prominent figures. Noel's personal net worth was estimated in the hundreds of millions pre-scandal, bolstered by family trusts and real estate including properties in Palm Beach, Florida, and the Bahamas.

When Madoff's scheme collapsed in 2008, Fairfield Greenwich clients lost approximately $7.5 billion out of $14.5 billion placed with Madoff. Noel faced intense criticism and allegations of inadequate due diligence, misleading marketing, and conflicts of interest. The SEC charged him and the firm in 2009 with fraud and supervision failures; in 2016, they settled for $12.5 million total, with Noel personally paying $1.9 million and accepting a bar from supervisory roles. Numerous investor lawsuits followed, many settled out of court. Noel largely avoided criminal charges but was condemned for prioritizing fees over investor protection. Post-2008, he maintained a low public profile, focusing on family and philanthropy tied to Vanderbilt, until his death on October 19, 2020, in Darien, Connecticut, at age 90.