Convicted tycoon Bernard ­Madoff’s ponzi fraud spawned 30% of securities lawsuits worldwide in the first quarter of 2009, research has indicated.

Of the 169 new securities lawsuits filed in Q1 this year, 50 related to the Madoff fraud, according to business data company Advisen.

Credit crisis-related suits accounted for 26% of securities cases, with 44 filed in the first quarter this year across the globe, the research indicates. If current trends continue, 38% more securities cases will be filed this year than last.

Nearly a third (52) of the 169 securities cases in Q1 this year were filed in New York, while 22 cases were filed in courts outside the US and 47 cases filed against non-US companies. Securities class actions (67) accounted for 40% of this year’s Q1 filings. Securities fraud actions (34), which are brought predominantly by the US Securities and Exchange Commission, accounted for 20%.

John Molka, senior industry analyst and editor of the Advisen report, said: ‘This year might end up with a heavy front-end load of lawsuits, as a flurry of Madoff-related cases have rolled in since the Wall Street legend was arrested in December.’

Of the 169 securities suits filed in Q1 2009, 64% named financial services firms (108), up from 50% in 2008.