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{{Infobox criminal
| name = Michael Conahan
| image =
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| charge = Money laundering, fraud and racketeering
| conviction =
| conviction_penalty = 17.5 years and $874,000
| conviction_status = Federal inmate #15009-067 [[Federal Correctional Institution, Coleman Low]]
| occupation = Judge
}}
'''Michael Conahan''' is a former judge from [[Luzerne County, Pennsylvania]]
who committed the [[Kids for cash scandal|"Kids for cash" scandal]] in
2008<ref name="wsj-frank">{{cite news|url=http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123854010220075533.html|title=Thomas Frank Says 'Kids for Cash' Incentivizes the Prison Industry|last=Frank|first=Thomas|date=April 1, 2009|publisher=[[Wall Street Journal]]|accessdate=2009-08-25}}</ref> with fellow judge [[Mark Ciavarella]].

Conahan, as president judge, used his budgetary discretion to stop funding the
county public youth detention facility<ref>{{cite news | url=http://pysih.com/2009/02/24/judge-mark-ciavarella-and-judge-michael-conahan | title=Judge Mark Ciavarella and Judge Michael Conahan | publisher=People You'll See in Hell | accessdate=2010-03-09}}</ref> and agreed to send teens instead to a new private facility. He is accused of agreeing to generate at least $1.3 million per year in costs that could be billed to taxpayers in exchange for kickbacks. He originally pleaded guilty to charges, but later withdrew his
plea.<ref>{{cite news | url=http://citizensvoice.com/news/ciavarella-conahan-withdraw-guilty-pleas-1.208291 | title=Ciavarella, Conahan withdraw guilty pleas | last=Janoski | first=Dave | publisher=citizensvoice.com | date=August 24,
2009 | accessdate=2010-03-09}}</ref> Afterward, he was indicted along with Ciavarella
on charges of money laundering, fraud and racketeering.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.justice.gov/usao/pam/Victim_Witness/Luzerne_County_Corruption/Ciavarella_Conahan/ciavarella_conahan_index.html | title=United States of America v Mark Ciavarella Jr and Michael Conahan | publisher=The United States Attorney's Office | accessdate=2010-03-09}}</ref> He eventually plead guilty again, and on September 23, 2011, he was sentenced to 17.5 years in prison and ordered to pay $874,000 in restitution.
<ref>{{cite news | url=http://thetimes-tribune.com/news/former-luzerne-judge-conahan-sentenced-to-17-5-years-1.1207994 | title=Former Luzerne judge Conahan sentenced to 17.5 years | publisher=thetimes-tribume.com | date= September 23, 2011 | accessdate=2011-10-03}}</ref>

==Biography==
Conahan was born April 21, 1952 in [[Hazleton, Pennsylvania|Hazleton]]. He
attended [[Temple University]], where he received his law degree. He served from
1994-2008 as Judge on the Court of Common Pleas and in January 2008 became
president judge of Luzerne County.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.mahalo.com/michael-conahan | title=Michael Conahan | publisher=mahalo.com | accessdate=2010-03-09}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{Persondata 
| NAME = Ciavarella, Mark
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES =
| SHORT DESCRIPTION = American judge
| DATE OF BIRTH = 1952
| PLACE OF BIRTH =
| DATE OF DEATH =
| PLACE OF DEATH =
}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ciavarella, Mark}}
[[Category:People from Hazleton, Pennsylvania]]
[[Category:1952 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Pennsylvania state court judges]]
[[Category:People convicted of racketeering]]
[[Category:Temple University alumni]]
[[Category:Temple University Beasley School of Law alumni]]

{{US-judge-stub}}

Michael Conahan - Revision history

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