https://www.democracynow.org/2011/2/22/judge_convicted_in_pennsylvania_kids_for

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PA_Child_Care

Former Luzerne County Judge Mark Ciavarella, Jr., was convicted Friday of accepting bribes and kickbacks for putting juveniles into detention centers operated by PA Child Care and a sister company, Western Pennsylvania Child Care. Ciavarella and another judge, Michael Conahan, are said to have received $2.6 million for their efforts.

The “cash for kids” deal really was about monies being paid by the developer who built the original facility and then added on another facility, one in Luzerne County and one in western Pennsylvania, as well as monies that were provided by the former co-owner of the facility to Judge Ciavarella and Judge Conahan. There were essentially four principal participants to this corruption scheme. The original information filed by the U.S. attorney was about $2.6 million. By the time the case went to trial, the numbers were up to about $2.9 million.

Treatment at both facilities is provided by Mid Atlantic Youth Services, and both were involved in the kids for cash scandal in 2008. Gregory Zappala took sole ownership of the company when he purchased co-owner Robert Powell’s share in June 2008

Gregory Zappala was not accused of any wrongdoing in the scandal. Zappala’s brother, Stephen Zappala Jr., is the Allegheny County District Attorney.