The Lackawanna County grand jury investigating the mishandling of estates reportedly began focusing on Judge Frank Eagen in April, after a key player in the scandal claimed he five times gave the judge cash stolen from estates.

While prosecutors at first reportedly were skeptical of the allegations of Philip Bosha, a former Scranton insurance underwriter now serving a federal prison sentence for his role in the scandal, they began to show more interest after he passed two lie-detector tests.

During the polygraph exams, one of which the state attorney generals office administered, Bosha claimed he five times gave the judge cash payments money Bosha had taken illegally from estates Eagen had appointed him to administer.

Bosha also reportedly was asked during the polygraph exams if he was trying to frame Eagen. Bosha answered no, and both lie-detector tests considered that truthful, sources said.

Bosha, who is serving a 30-month sentence on federal charges relating to money he admitted looting from estates Eagen assigned him to guard, is scheduled to be transferred from a federal prison in Kentucky to the Lackawanna County Prison.

The stated reason for Boshas transfer to the local lockup is so he can plead guilty Oct. 31 to charges arising out of a parallel estates probe in Wyoming County.

However, Lackawanna County District Attorney Michael Barrasse is expected to have Bosha tell the grand jury about the kickbacks he claims he made to Eagen.

Eagen has denied vehemently that he received any estates cash.

All I can tell you is this is totally false, the judge said when questioned about Boshas allegations in April.

Two weeks ago, Bosha was expected to go before the jury to tell his story, but that appearance had to be canceled when arrangements to have him transferred to Scranton from the federal prison in Kentucky did not materialize.

Bosha, who initially refused to cooperate with officials, first hinted about the alleged payoffs to the judge during an interview with Kevin Colgan, an agent with the Attorney Generals Bureau of Criminal Investigation, shortly before U.S. District Judge Edwin Kosik sentenced him in Scranton.

Along with Bosha, former attorney Ronald Worobey is expected to be called to testify before the grand jury.

Worobey, who worked for the countys Area Agency on Aging, is serving a two-year federal sentence for abusing estates and guardianships in Lackawanna County. When he completes his federal term, Worobey will have to serve a minimum of 21 more months in a state prison.

Eagen appointed Bosha numerous times to serve as the guardian of an estate, meaning he was responsible for the finances of a person considered incapable of handling his or her own affairs. Bosha frequently named Worobey to serve as his counsel.

In other instances, Eagen appointed Worobey to serve as guardian of elderly people. In that capacity, he was responsible for those peoples mental and physical well-being.

Charges against the pair allege Worobey would overbill estates for his legal services, with Bosha approving the inflated bills in return for a financial kickback from Worobey.

During an interview from the federal prison compound at Fort Dix, N.J., Worobey maintained he acted under the belief that Eagen would not question their actions.

And Eagen did not.