Fred Wilpon arrived at Mets camp Thursday morning and strongly said his family will be “vindicated” in a $1 billion lawsuit brought against the family.

Wilpon, chief operating officer Jeff Wilpon and team president Saul Katz are accused of either knowing, or it is alleged that they should have known, convicted swindler Bernard Madoff was operating a Ponzi scheme.

“We did not know one iota, one thing about Madoff’s fraud,” Fred Wilpon said as his team stretched in the background on the first day of pitchers and catchers workouts. “We didn’t do anything wrong. If anything, we trusted a friend for a very long time. And as I told you a few months ago, that betrayal is very difficult for me because this was a man, who, we were friends for 35 years and investors for 25 years.

“Having said that, we will be vindicated. What you have been writing about are allegations. They are allegations made by the trustee. Allegations are not fact. We have to now come back and tell you what our facts are, based upon facts and based upon the law. And our lawyers are doing that and they will do that. And we will be vindicated. I can’t give you the timetable. That depends on issues beyond our control.”

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