The 5 largest Bail Amounts Ever

1. The 5 Largest Bail Amounts Ever
Those unfamiliar with the bail system in the United States may be surprised by the
seemingly exorbitant amounts paid by the incarcerated, with average costs ranging
from a few hundred to even tens of thousands of dollars. But while these large piles
of cash might sound absurd, they pale in comparison to the high end of the bail
spectrum, a realm visited by only the unlucky few. The following five individuals
were met with the highest bail amounts on record, a massive punishment for their
heinous crimes.
1. Bernard Madoff – $10 million
Previously known as a billionaire investor who was trusted by countless individuals
with their hard earned money, Bernard Madoff quickly fell from grace in the public
eye when it was revealed his operation was nothing more than a Ponzi scheme, and
that he lost virtually all of the investments. Upon incarceration, he was tagged with
an astronomical bail amount of $10 million, although it is a far cry from the $50
billion he reportedly lost during the course of his antics.
2. Michael Sorodsky – $33 million
This Brooklyn doctor proved to the world that business magnates are not the only
victims of astonishingly high bail amounts. Jailed on allegations that he committed
sexual abuse to his patients while under anesthesia, he faced the prospect of trying
to cover a $33 million bond for his falsifications and assault.
3. Christopher Williams – $100 million
If a judge sees a shackled individual as a potential flight risk, they will usually raise
the bail amount in order to prevent the possibility of the incarcerated fleeing the
area. This was the case with Christopher Williams, who was given an incredibly high
$100 million bail amount. The judge saw this as fitting of his alleged crimes though,
as Williams had an extensive criminal history as a juvenile, had previously
committed multiple felonies, and had once even skipped a bail hearing during a
period of unemployment.

2. (Image URL: http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5326/7222346312_414b790935_o.jpg)
4. Raj Rajaratnam – $100 million
Business magnate Raj Rajaratnam was lucky to have a group of loving and patient
friends and family members upon hearing of his incarceration. Although his bail
amount was set at $100 million, he was released after forking over $20 million in
cash and properties, an amount gathered together by those close to him. His
financial responsibilities didn’t end there though, as he was set to be fined
additional millions for his alleged role in committing securities fraud in New York
City.
(Image URL:
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d9/Veave_in_jail.jpg)
5. Kim Freeman – $1 billion
Although the United States Constitution attempts to prevent the existence of
excessive bail, a Columbus, Ohio judge dared to defy that ruling by setting a bail

3. amount of $1 billion. It was likely purely symbolic though, as it was given to Kim
Freeman, a woman accused of running two brothels, and one that is unlikely to be
able to cover the costs of a $100 million bond.
The Highest Bails Ever Set
When setting bail amounts, judges usually follow the guidelines of bail schedules,
lists that determine the regularly appointed amount given the nature of the crime.
But in any circumstance though, judges have the right to set bail at whatever
amount they see fit, leading to these five highest bail amounts in the United States.