Adoption scam lands
isle woman in prison
Cambodian children were represented
illegally as orphans
SEATTLE » A Kauai woman was sentenced to a year and a half in prison yesterday for her role in helping Americans adopt Cambodian children -- even if they were not orphans.
Lauryn Galindo, 53, also was ordered to perform 300 hours of community service, forfeit her $1.4 million Hanalei home and pay more than $60,000 in restitution. She pleaded guilty in July to conspiracy to commit visa fraud and launder money.
U.S. District Judge Thomas Zilly told Galindo her "conduct regarding children who were taken from their families far outweighs all the other good work you did for other children."
Galindo ran Seattle International Adoptions with her sister, Lynn Devin, who previously pleaded guilty to related charges and will be sentenced next month. Galindo admitted she organized a scheme in which some Cambodian children were taken from their families and represented on immigration forms as orphans from 1997 to 2001.
The case stemmed from a two-year investigation by the State Department and immigration officials.
"This investigation focused on a scheme that treated hundreds of children as nothing more than commodities," said Leigh Winchell, special agent-in-charge for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement in Seattle. The criminal behavior "exploited not only our nation's immigration system, but defrauded hundreds of well-meaning American parents who wanted nothing more than to provide orphans with a loving home."
Actress Angelina Jolie is one parent who used Seattle International Adoptions. But officials said there was nothing suspect about the adoption of her son, Maddox.
The government said it plans to take no action that would jeopardize the residency status of Cambodian children in the United States who were adopted through SIA.
At the sentencing hearing yesterday, Galindo's lawyer argued for leniency, noting that Galindo had done much charitable work and suffered mental problems from childhood.
Contacted by telephone yesterday, Galindo referred all questions to Stephen Jaffe, who has been handling her media relations.
Jaffe said Galindo's Hanalei home, on the beach in one of Hawaii's most exclusive neighborhoods, will be sold by the government to satisfy damage claims from several of her customers.
"Only 13 of 750 adoptive families had any kind of complaint, and even fewer than that sought any compensation," Jaffe said. "About 110 letters from adoptive parents who support Lauryn were presented to the court by adoptive parents."
In her prepared statement, Galindo said, "My work has always involved placing the truly needy and handicapped children in safe families, and to pour the money I earned into supporting orphanages and helping the poor of Cambodia."
When Galindo originally was indicted, she was charged with urging adoptive parents, who traveled to Cambodia, to sign an affidavit saying the children had no known living relatives. In all of those cases, the indictment charged, the adoptive parents actually had met the birth mothers.
"I made errors on visa forms and in withdrawing money in violation of federal guidelines, which is the substance of my guilty plea. I have never trafficked in children -- ever," she said in her statement.
Jaffe said Galindo's attorneys are considering an appeal.
Meanwhile, she plans to report to a minimum-security federal facility in Dublin, Calif., in 30 days.
