Kauai woman turns self in
over adoption-related fraud

Lauryn Galindo, 52, helped
families adopt Cambodian children

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Associated Press

SEATTLE >> A 52-year-old Hawaii woman has turned herself in to federal authorities in Seattle to face charges of visa fraud related to her efforts to help American families adopt Cambodian children.

Lauryn Galindo, of Hanalei, Kauai, had an initial appearance in U.S. District Court on Thursday before Magistrate Monica Benton, who set an arraignment date for Jan. 22.

Galindo has been indicted on four counts of visa fraud and one count of conspiracy to commit visa fraud between January 1997 and January 1999, the U.S. Department of Justice said in a statement issued Thursday.

If convicted, she could be sentenced to five years for conspiracy and up to 10 years for each count of visa fraud. She also could face a fine of up to $250,000 for each count, the department said.

Galindo's sister, Lynn Devlin of Mercer Island, Wash., ran Seattle International Adoptions, an agency closed by federal officials late last year.

Galindo has arranged hundreds of adoptions, both through her sister's firm and other adoption agencies, since first traveling to Cambodia in the early 1990s.

Investigators alleged that not all of the children put up for adoption by the Seattle agency were truly orphans. They alleged that some children had been bought from poor families.

Among Americans who have used the agency is actress Angelina Jolie, who adopted a Cambodian boy two years ago.

The Justice Department statement said the department "plans to take no action which would jeopardize the residency status of children in the United States who are considered to be victims of the fraud."

Galindo's spokesman, Steve Jaffe, has said she maintains her innocence and is cooperating with investigators. She did not return phone calls Thursday.

Last month, Devlin pleaded guilty to falsifying documents to obtain U.S. visas for Cambodian children. She is scheduled to be sentenced March 12.

The investigation is being conducted by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and by the Internal Revenue Service.

U.S. authorities have been concerned about Cambodian adoptions for some time and suspended American citizens' adoptions from that country altogether two years ago.