Bail for accused Vic prostitute boss

The alleged boss of a Melbourne prostitution ring will have to scrape together $30,000 if she is to be released from custody pending trial.

Mae Ja Kim, 39, is accused of running an illegal, multimillion-dollar sex work syndicate of 100 Asian women.

She was granted bail in September on a $100,000 surety but claimed at the time the most she could afford was $30,000.

A court has previously heard Kim, of Southbank, allegedly spent earnings from the business on a lavish lifestyle, including luxury goods such as Prada handbags and expensive dinners.

Her defence lawyer Richard Backwell said the items and cash were seized after her arrest.

Victorian Supreme Court Justice Bernard Bongiorno reduced Kim's bail surety on Thursday, saying Kim would otherwise spend too much time in custody pending trial.

She has already been in custody for 17 months and the matter will not go to trial until July 2015.

"She'll have been in jail for two-and-a-half years by the time she gets to trial," he said.

"That's too long."

Justice Bongiorno also required that Kim report to police daily.

Prosecutor Stephen Devlin said the reduced surety was not enough to alleviate concerns that Kim would flee or reoffend.

"What it really comes down to is, is the court satisfied $30,000 is sufficient to mitigate the concerns of the Commonwealth?" he said.

"Our position is it is not."

It has previously been alleged that Kim managed the movements of sex workers around several Melbourne brothels over 10 years.

The syndicate allegedly earned $1.25 million in a six-month period in 2013, a court has previously heard.