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Mark Ciavarella
Former Judge, Luzerne County Court of Common Pleas
Corrupt juvenile court judge convicted in Kids for Cash scandal
Overview
Mark Ciavarella served as a judge in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania from 1996 to 2009, presiding over juvenile court. Between 2003 and 2008, he sentenced approximately 3,000 children to for-profit juvenile detention facilities while receiving $2.6 million in kickbacks from the facility operators. Children as young as 10 were sentenced for trivial offenses, often in hearings lasting less than two minutes, and many were denied their right to counsel. Ciavarella was convicted on 12 federal counts in 2011 and sentenced to 28 years in federal prison.
Key Affiliations
Controversies & Concerns
Sentenced approximately 3,000 children to for-profit detention for $2.6M in kickbacks
Denied children their constitutional right to counsel in juvenile proceedings
Conducted hearings lasting under two minutes for serious dispositions
Sentenced a 10-year-old for a playground altercation to months in detention
At least one former defendant committed suicide attributed to trauma of unjust incarceration
Ordered to pay $200 million in restitution to victims (largely symbolic)
Related Investigations (5)
Kids for Cash: Judges Who Sold Children to Private PrisonsJudicial Corruption
Tier 1
criticalMass IncarcerationMilitary & Foreign Policy
Tier 1
criticalPrivate Prison IndustryCriminal Justice
Tier 1
criticalThe Supreme Court Ethics Crisis: Undisclosed Gifts, Dark Money, and the Corruption of the Highest CourtJudicial Corruption / Institutional Integrity
Tier 1
criticalYouth Incarceration and Juvenile Detention AbuseHuman Rights
Tier 2
criticalCriminal Charges & Violations
6 documented violations
18 U.S.C. 1962Racketeering (RICO)(Corruption)
18 U.S.C. 666Federal Program Bribery(Corruption)
18 U.S.C. 1341Mail Fraud(Financial Crime)
18 U.S.C. 1343Wire Fraud(Financial Crime)
26 U.S.C. 7206Tax Fraud(Financial Crime)
18 U.S.C. 1956Money Laundering(Financial Crime)
Known Associates & Connections
Michael Conahan
Fellow corrupt judge; co-conspirator; sentenced to 17.5 years
Robert Mericle
Builder of PA Child Care facilities; paid kickbacks; sentenced to 1 year
Robert Powell
Co-owner of PA Child Care; sentenced to 18 months
Sources & Documentation
1 documented sources from official records, investigations, and reports
Personal Information
- Born
- March 6, 1950
- Birthplace
- Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania
Education
- •Duquesne University School of Law (J.D.)
Key Timeline
1996
Elected as judge of Luzerne County Court of Common Pleas
2003
Began accepting kickbacks from juvenile detention facility operators
January 2009
Charged along with Judge Michael Conahan by federal prosecutors
February 2011
Convicted on 12 of 39 federal counts including racketeering
August 2011
Sentenced to 28 years in federal prison
2022
Ordered to pay $200 million restitution to approximately 2,400 victims