Bail reduced for "Black Madam"

A judge lowered the bail from $10 million to $750,000 this morning for Padge-Victoria Windslowe, the so-called "Black Madam" accused of running an illegal buttock-injection business.

Windslowe, who was arrested Feb. 29, must post 10 percent of the bail amount to be released. Even then, she will remain under house arrest with her parents and be subject to electronic monitoring.

Prosecutors said Windslowe uses seven or eight names and aliases, several addresses, and that she has identification documents in multiple names. Philadelphia Lt. John Walker, of the Southwest Detective Division, said authorities also feel she is a flight risk because she runs a cash business.

Windslowe's attorney, Chris Mannix, said after the hearing that Windslowe has deep roots in Philadelphia, including three sisters, a mother and stepfather, and that she would not leave the area. He said he did not know if she would be able to post bail.

"That remains to be seen," he said.

Windslowe is charged with aggravated assault for allegedly holding a "pumping party" in which she injected a 23-year-old North Philadelphia woman with silicone or some other substance that later caused her to fall ill and be hospitalized. That woman has been released but is still on oxygen, and her health problems are ongoing, police said. Authorities believe Windslowe has given injections to at least 14 other women in recent months.

Windslowe has also been linked to the death of a 20-year-old woman who traveled to Philadelphia from London last year to undergo the procedure, then died shortly after Windslowe injected her. There has been no ruling on that woman's cause of death but police believe Windslowe is responsible.