$100K bail for accused Vic prostitute boss

Mae Ja Kim used to splurge on Prada handbags and $7000 binges at karaoke bars. Now the alleged boss of a Melbourne syndicate of Asian prostitutes must fork out $100,000 to get bail.

Kim, 39, is accused of running an illegal syndicate of 100 sex workers that generated millions of dollars.

She is allegedly heard threatening to kill a rival brothel-owner for "snatching girls" and barking orders to her underlings in the 60,000 phone calls intercepted by police.

Kim was granted bail in Victorian County Court on Friday on the condition she paid a $100,000 surety.

Before she was arrested in July 2013, Kim's lavish lifestyle featured a Southbank apartment, shopping sprees in exclusive Melbourne boutiques and thousands spent on nights out and lunch dates.

But she cried poor in court, claiming she could only pay a maximum of $30,000 for bail after blowing her cash reserves on her expensive tastes.

Judge Richard Maidment rejected the proposition.

"It would be naive not to think she had stored away substantial assets either in cash or property," he said.

Judge Maidment said police believe Kim operated the syndicate, which allegedly earned about $1.25 million in a six-month period in 2013, for 10 years.

He granted her bail on the condition she paid the $100,000, reported to police three days a week and honoured a curfew.

Police allege Kim managed the movement of the sex workers between several Melbourne brothels.

They had feared she would reoffend or flee abroad unless she paid a substantial surety.

Prosecutor Stephen Devlin told an earlier hearing $15,000 was nothing to Kim.

"That would basically equate to two nights out for her," he said.

Kim's barrister Richard Backwell said she had spent her money on her lifestyle and wardrobe, which he described as the most valuable thing she had owned.

"She had very expensive nights out or lunches in the thousands of dollars," Mr Backwell said.

Kim has been charged with dealing in the proceeds of crime and living on the earnings of sex workers.

She faces trial in August 2015.

AAP is checking on whether or not the $100,000 surety will be paid.