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Biden Commutes Sentences of 1,500, Including 'Kids-for-Cash' Judge and Ex-Comptroller Who Stole $53M

Dec 14, 2024, 12:14 PM

President Joe Biden granted clemency to nearly 1,500 individuals on Thursday, marking the largest single-day act of clemency in modern U.S. history, according to the White House. The president pardoned 39 people and commuted the sentences of approximately 1,500 others, many of whom were convicted of nonviolent crimes and had been released from prison and placed on home confinement. However, some of the clemency decisions have sparked controversy and criticism. Biden commuted the sentence of Michael Conahan, a former Pennsylvania judge involved in the 'kids-for-cash' scandal, where he accepted kickbacks for sentencing juveniles to for-profit detention centers on trumped-up charges. Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro criticized the decision, stating that Biden got it 'absolutely wrong.' Victims and community members expressed feelings of shock, outrage, and betrayal. Additionally, Rita Crundwell, a former comptroller who embezzled $53 million from Dixon, Illinois, had her sentence commuted, drawing condemnation from residents and local officials. Meera Sachdeva, a doctor who defrauded Medicare by diluting chemotherapy drugs for cancer patients, was also granted clemency. The clemency recipients included individuals convicted of drug trafficking, including those involved with fentanyl production, cartel leaders, crack dealers, and 'notorious' fraudsters. Biden's actions surpassed the previous second-largest single-day act of clemency by Barack Obama, who granted 330 clemencies shortly before leaving office in 2017.