An Arizona man was sentenced to six years behind bars for smuggling pregnant women into America as part of an illegal adoption scheme that operated in three states and helped to bankroll his luxurious lifestyle trib.al/A5jT6vX
During his sentencing hearing, Paul Petersen denied knowing that his employees in the adoption fraud operation had coerced these women by threatening to take away their passports if they tried to back out of the deal trib.al/A5jT6vX
“I did treat everyone in their situation, on all sides of the adoption, with respect,” Petersen told the court. “I got into adoptions because quite simply I loved the Marshall Islands and the Marshallese people.” trib.al/A5jT6vX
But U.S. District Judge Timothy Brooks wasn't buying it.
“Your side hustle in the adoption business was a criminal livelihood,” he said.
“You became complicit in selling babies.” trib.al/A5jT6vX
“Your side hustle in the adoption business was a criminal livelihood,” he said.
“You became complicit in selling babies.” trib.al/A5jT6vX
Read the full story by @kbriquelet: trib.al/A5jT6vX
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