WILKES-BARRE, Pa. — A federal judge has ruled that the two former Luzerne County judges at the center of the "Kids for Cash" scandal must pay their victims more than $200 million in damages.
But even the lawyers representing the victims admit it will be tough to get any money at all out of the pair of imprisoned judges.
One attorney called it an exclamation point on the end of the long Kids for Cash saga.
The kids wrapped up in Kids for Cash are now adults.
The two former Luzerne County judges responsible for the scheme are still serving sentences. Mark Ciavarella is serving 28 years behind bars. Michael Conahan is finishing his 17-year term on house arrest.
"I don't believe that Judge Conahan or Judge Ciavarella have any money left. And we're going to hopefully take their deposition sometime in the future to find out what assets they have, and what assets they do have, we're going to try to seize them and get them prorated to the kids," said attorney Sol Weiss.
Weiss tried the civil case, which went before a judge last fall in federal court in Wilkes-Barre. Weiss says many of the 300 plaintiffs knew they might not get any financial compensation.
Instead, Weiss and attorneys from the Juvenile Law Center, which helped uncover Kids for Cash, say the dollar amount sends a message to other public officials who may consider abusing their power.
"Ultimately, this award is about more than just who gets money and how much. It was really about putting a value on the loss of rights that these children experienced, the harm that they experienced by being incarcerated. And by valuing it as high as the judge did, I think he's also making a statement," said Marsha Levick of the Juvenile Law Center.
"It's pretty daunting to try to take on the legal system and all of its imperfections. And these kids did that," Weiss added.
The Kids for Cash victims aren't completely without compensation. There have been other civil cases tied to the scandal that have been paid out.
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