Investigators find $173 million in checks written to Bernie Madoff's family, friends

Investigators evidently found 100 signed checks totalling $173 million in Bernard Madoff's desk at the time of his arrest in December. Those checks weren't going out to his ripped-off clients, instead those 100 checks were written out to his closest family and friends.

The details were released in a court filing Thursday. Prosecutors argued that Madoff should have his bail revoked and be sent to jail. Until now, Madoff has been under house arrest in his swanky multi-million dollar Upper East Side home.

Prosecutors say that the $173 million in checks are evidence that Bernie wants to keep his assets away from burned investors.

In the filing, prosecutors added that Madoff cannot be trusted because he had long engaged in a "scheme that required the defendant to lie routinely to thousands of people and a scheme which has caused extraordinary damage to individuals, families, and institutions all over the world."

A judge will now decide whether Madoff goes to jail or remains free on bail in his luxury penthouse.