Former New York financier Bernie Madoff should not be released from prison early, even if it means he will die there, prosecutors argued.

The 81-year-old was sentenced to 150 years in federal prison in 2009 for running the largest Ponzi scheme in history and is seeking an early release from prison, citing his deteriorating health. In a court filing last month, Madoff’s lawyers said he had less than 18 months to live because of chronic kidney failure that has progressed to “end-stage renal disease.”