March 1, 2007

Seven charged in federal probe targeting fraudulent adoption scheme involving Samoan “orphans”

SALT LAKE CITY – Seven defendants face federal charges this afternoon including alien smuggling, visa fraud and money laundering for their role in an illegal adoption scheme that placed Samoan “orphans” with adoptive parents in the United States.

The defendants, who are named in a 135-count indictment unsealed here this morning, operated an agency called Focus on Children (FOC) that allegedly orchestrated the illegal adoption of more than 80 Samoan children by U.S. families across the country over a three-year period beginning in March 2002.

The charges follow an exhaustive multi-agency investigation involving U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), the Department of State’s Bureau of Diplomatic Security, and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).

The indictment alleges the defendants lied to the Samoan birth parents to persuade them to give up their children, and then falsely claimed to prospective adoptive parents in the United States that the children had been abandoned.  Specifically, the indictment states the defendants told birth parents that FOC was a church or government sponsored program to assist financially disadvantaged families in Samoa seeking to have their children educated abroad.  The FOC also allegedly provided the birth parents with “humanitarian assistance,” such as small amounts of food or money, that ceased once the child was turned over to the adoptive parents.

“We have families on both sides of this adoption scheme who acted in good faith,” said Brett Tolman, the United States Attorney for Utah.  “The birth parents in Samoa believed they were sending their children to take advantage of opportunities in the United States.  Those parents thought their kids would come home.”

According to the indictment, during the adoption process, many of the children were placed in a “nanny home” in Samoa operated by FOC where some of the youngsters suffered from dehydration and malnutrition.  The substandard conditions are believed to have contributed to at least one child’s death.

“This investigation focused on a scheme that treated children as little more than a commodity,” said Kurt Fitz-Randolph, assistant special agent in charge for the ICE Office of Investigations in Salt Lake City.  “The defendants targeted in this case not only compromised the integrity of our immigration system, they also defrauded numerous well-meaning parents who wanted nothing more than to provide the best possible life for these children.”

The indictment describes how FOC charged their U.S. clients thousands of dollars to facilitate the adoption of the Samoan children.  According to court papers, the agency used a network of recruiters in Samoa to locate the children and persuade their parents to give them up for adoption.  Many of the prospective adoptive parents learned about FOC from the agency’s website.

“Adoption fraud is particularly unconscionable and without excuse,” said Thomas Depenbrock, special agent in charge of the San Francisco field office for the Department of State’s Bureau of Diplomatic Security.  “The Bureau of Diplomatic Security will do everything possible to bring justice to those responsible for these crimes. We must secure the welfare of our children at all costs.”

Earlier today, federal agents arrested four of the defendants charged in the case.  Those defendants made their initial appearance in federal court in Salt Lake City this morning.  They are:

1. Karen Banks, 45, of Wellsville, Utah;
2. Scott Banks, 46, of Wellsville, Utah;
3. Coleen Bartlet, 40, of Evanston, Wyoming; and
4. Karalee Thornlock, 34, of Tooele, Utah.

The three remaining defendants named below are believed to be in Samoa. 

1. Tagaloa Ieti, 44, Samoa;
2. Julie Tuiletufuga, age unknown, Samoa; and
3. Dan Wakefield, 70, Apia, Samoa.

The United States does not have an extradition treaty with Samoa, but based on the indictment and arrest warrants, a petition can be lodged with the Samoan government seeking to have the three defendants turned over to U.S. authorities.

“This issue came to light when a USCIS officer saw something that didn’t add up, suspected fraud, and kept digging,” said Robert Mather, field officer director for USCIS in Salt Lake City.  “After discovering the fraud, our employees worked closely with ICE, the State Department, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office to review records, conduct interviews and help interpret the evidence.  As an agency, we are committed to protecting children, adoptive parents and, on occasion, birthright parents, throughout the adoption process.”

-- ICE --

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) was established in March 2003 as the largest investigative arm of the Department of Homeland Security. ICE is comprised of five integrated divisions that form a 21st century law enforcement agency with broad responsibilities for a number of key homeland security priorities.

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