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StarryNite

(9,460 posts) Wed Oct 9, 2019, 02:09 PM Oct 2019

Arizona official charged with human smuggling in adoption fraud

Petersen is an active member of the Maricopa County Republican Party, the Arizona Republican Party, and a precinct committeeman in Legislative District 25, according to the bio.

Arizona official charged with human smuggling in adoption fraud

Phoenix, Arizona — The assessor of Arizona's largest county has been indicted in connection with 11 felony offenses, including human smuggling, sale of a child and communications fraud in an adoption fraud scheme, authorities said.

The Arizona Attorney General's Office confirmed the 32-count federal indictment Tuesday against Maricopa County Assessor Paul Petersen for conspiracy, theft, forgery, and 29 counts of fraudulent schemes, The Arizona Republic reported Tuesday.

Petersen has for years run an adoption law practice in Mesa that involves bringing women from the Marshall Islands to the U.S. to give birth. Their babies are then adopted by U.S. parents, authorities said. Petersen charged $40,000 per adoption, according to his website.

[link:https://www.cbsnews.com/news/paul-petersen-assessor-maricopa-county-arizona-accused-human-smuggling-marshall-islands-adoption-fraud/|

11 replies

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Arizona official charged with human smuggling in adoption fraud (Original Post) StarryNite Oct 2019 OP

Watch for this story to explode in the near future. Wellstone ruled Oct 2019 #1

As it should. StarryNite Oct 2019 #2

Watch for this to come out of Utah. Wellstone ruled Oct 2019 #3

Yes, he's a Mormon too... StarryNite Oct 2019 #4

Yes he is, Wellstone ruled Oct 2019 #5

I wonder how deep this goes? StarryNite Oct 2019 #6

I was just reading this Horse with no Name Oct 2019 #7

Republicans eating each other...my, oh my. pecosbob Oct 2019 #8

This is actually stunning, when you think of how tiny the Marshall Islands are Hekate Oct 2019 #9

He wasn't working alone... StarryNite Oct 2019 #10

Agreed Hekate Oct 2019 #11

Wellstone ruled

(34,661 posts)

1. Watch for this story to explode in the near future.

Reply to StarryNite (Original post)

Wed Oct 9, 2019, 02:28 PM

Oct 2019

StarryNite

(9,460 posts)

2. As it should.

Reply to Wellstone ruled (Reply #1)

Wed Oct 9, 2019, 02:32 PM

Oct 2019

They just had a press conference on about it. I'm sure a lot more will come out.

Wellstone ruled

(34,661 posts)

3. Watch for this to come out of Utah.

Reply to StarryNite (Reply #2)

Wed Oct 9, 2019, 02:35 PM

Oct 2019

There will be a couple of people not liking this story.

StarryNite

(9,460 posts)

4. Yes, he's a Mormon too...

Reply to Wellstone ruled (Reply #3)

Wed Oct 9, 2019, 02:39 PM

Oct 2019

According to Civil Beat, Petersen, who is Mormon, served his mission as a young man in the Marshall Islands and learned to speak the language.

Wellstone ruled

(34,661 posts)

5. Yes he is,

Reply to StarryNite (Reply #4)

Wed Oct 9, 2019, 03:04 PM

Oct 2019

and his Missionary Partners will be running for cover. The Iceberg is coming into view.

StarryNite

(9,460 posts)

6. I wonder how deep this goes?

Reply to Wellstone ruled (Reply #5)

Wed Oct 9, 2019, 03:07 PM

Oct 2019

Horse with no Name

(33,957 posts)

7. I was just reading this

Reply to StarryNite (Original post)

Wed Oct 9, 2019, 03:10 PM

Oct 2019

He defrauded Arizona taxpayers millions of dollars by using Medicaid dollars for these women to deliver.
He is only being held on $500k bond.

pecosbob

(7,545 posts)

8. Republicans eating each other...my, oh my.

Reply to StarryNite (Original post)

Wed Oct 9, 2019, 03:13 PM

Oct 2019

Hekate

(90,845 posts)

9. This is actually stunning, when you think of how tiny the Marshall Islands are

Reply to StarryNite (Original post)

Wed Oct 9, 2019, 03:26 PM

Oct 2019

Wikipedia. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marshall_Islands

I ended up wandering thru Wiki for awhile looking for clues ... It's all atolls -- Kwajalein is the biggest, at 6 square miles.

But the major clue (not in Wiki) is that he is a Mormon who did his mission in the Marshalls, knows the language, knows the cultural levers. "I can help you." Damn him.

Anyhow, glad this Petersen guy is out of business.

edited

StarryNite

(9,460 posts)

10. He wasn't working alone...

Reply to Hekate (Reply #9)

Wed Oct 9, 2019, 03:28 PM

Oct 2019

Hopefully a lot will go down with him.

Hekate

(90,845 posts)

11. Agreed

Reply to StarryNite (Reply #10)

Wed Oct 9, 2019, 03:32 PM

Oct 2019

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