The Santa Barbara Independent Mozes’s Money Headed to Victims

The Santa Barbara Independent Mozes’s Money Headed to Victims

Adoption Agency Director Guilty Of Grand Theft

Adoption Agency Director Guilty Of Grand Theft

Another Low-Life Scamming APs

Queen Of Greed, Christen Brown, Shot Down By Judge Eskin

Although the wait has felt interminable, it was almost worth it to read Judge Eskin's decision regarding Plaintiff Christen Brown's attempt to get the money reserved for victims of Orson Mozes' adoption scams. Judge Eskin ruled that Brown

1. does not have a legitimately acquired interest in the confiscated assets;
2. is NOT AN INNOCENT SPOUSE/PERSON; and
3. the claim for child support by Brown does not have priority over the (monetary) restitution owed to the victims of the defendant's crimes.

AMEN! I took great pleasure in Judge Eskin's keen observations regarding Brown's involvement in Adoption International Program and his verbal lashing that she placed her own desires before her child's (Zoe) interests!

Here are a few of my favorite comments by Judge Eskin

• "The evidence is overwhelming that the source of the seized assets was the defendant's (Orson) operation of a fraudulent business between the years 2003 and 2007, while he lived Claimant (Christen), and she (and their children) enjoyed the benefit of his earning which were derived from the crimes..."
• "Claimant failed to establish by a preponderance of the evidence that she was an 'innocent.' This court cannot determine the extent of her criminal culpability, but the evidence does support this Court's conclusion that she was (probably) complicit in the criminal activities."
• "...she undoubtedly had knowledge of the crimes despite her protestations to the contrary and was probably complicit in the criminal activities."
• "The testimony of Claimant was extremely damaging to her position. The factors used to assess credibility of witnesses lead this Court to conclude that her testimony was inherently unbelievable. Although she earned a master's degree in counseling psychology from Boston University, published a book and coached clients for speech and media presentations, at times, she presented herself as clueless about the operations of AIP between 2004 and 2007..."
• "Her explanation for the mid-hearing visit to Kathleen Lynch defied credulity, and her attempt to explain her involvement in the e-mail exchange with AIP client Vanessa Donaher in November 2005, when she agreed to refund her money while denying she had any knowledge of complaints by AIP clients borders on ludicrous."
• "It is this Court's opinion that this clever language constitutes a fraud perpetrated on the Court in the dissolution proceedings..." [Note: This was in reference to specifics in their divorce] The judge also makes a statement that Christen basically put herself before her daughter and should have used proceeds from the sale of the house to support their daughter.

In my opinion, this is all confirmation of what the victims have felt in their hearts all along: Christen is a greedy piranha and only cares about $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ ~ she knew exactly what was going on and could care less about APs or orphans. All she ever cared about was maintaining her luxurious lifestyle...even to the point where she placed maintenance of that lifestyle above the needs of her own child!

Daily Sound: Adoption scammer hears from his victims

Daily Sound: Adoption scammer hears from his victims

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Christen Brown is a GREEDY PIRANHA!

Christen Brown, Orson Mozes' ex-wife and the co-owner and Executive Director of the adoption agency (Adoption International Program) that bilked nearly a hundred PAPs out of their life savings and the children proved once again, in my opinion, that she is a GREEDY PIRANHA!

The Santa Barbara District Attorney's office found and froze assets that Mozes was attempting to hide totaling approximately $300k. Mozes is being ordered to pay restitution to his victims; unfortunately, that amount exceeds $700,000.00 so these victims will sadly only get a small percentage of their loss.

Mozes was scheduled to be sentenced yesterday. However, it was postponed. WHY? Because the GREEDY PIRANHA, Christen Brown, filed a motion claiming that SHE should get 100% of the money that they recovered from her ex-husband for child and spousal support. This woman does not care AT ALL about the pain and suffering that HER company inflicted on these victims. She is so greedy and selfish that she does not want a single penny to get away.

This is a woman who is now living in yet another multi-million dollar home (currently for sale for $2,395,000.00): http://www.michaelcalcagno.com/properties/2078LasCanoas/index.htmlOh yes! This poor woman is really suffering without her husband! In my opinion, I am sure that plenty of the victims' life savings paves her sidewalks.

The sentencing will now take place on Thursday, July 23rd. Deputy DA Paula Waldman will read all of the victim impact statements, and present her recommendation to the judge as to what should happen with the monies recovered from Mozes. She does not support Christen's opinion that she should get the money. For now, we will have to wait and see. If her claim is denied we are sure she will file an appeal because Ms. Greedy Piranha won't stop until she is sure she has kicked every one of the victims while they are down.

News Footage on Orson's Plea

Local Article on Orson's Plea

Adoption scammer pleads guilty
By COLBY FRAZIER — July 3, 2009


A former Montecito businessman who swindled $800,000 from 59 hopeful parents through his adoption business, pleaded guilty in Superior Court yesterday to 17 felonies and a white-collar crime enhancement.

Wearing a light-blue shirt, dark pants and a tie, with shackles around his hands and feet, the defendant, Orson Mozes, said plainly that he was guilty, and acknowledged he felt “very comfortable” with the plea bargain he had negotiated with prosecutors.


Although the man won’t be sentenced until July 14, Senior Deputy District Attorney Paula Waldman said he most likely would be sentenced to three years and four months in state prison, with three years of parole. Mozes, 57, also faces a civil lawsuit in the state of Pennsylvania that was jointly filed by 17 of the adoption scam victims. Additionally, Mozes conceded to forfeit $300,000 in cash and gold coins that were seized from his Florida home. The funds will be used to repay the victims, some of whom, Waldman said, are owed amounts as high as $75,000.
The prosecutor said the plea represents justice for dozens of families who, in some cases, not only were stolen from but also felt as though their own child was taken away.

“There’s just so much heartbreak around this case …” she said. “I enjoyed hearing him say that word, ‘guilty.’”


Through his business, Adoption International Program, Waldman said Mozes would place Eastern European children up for adoption. When prospective parents would see the children’s pictures on the company’s Web site and inquire, she said Mozes would ask for money, a deposit of sorts to ensure the children weren’t offered to other parents.

But it didn’t end there. She said Mozes would string the hopeful parents along. In many cases, victims would travel to various countries to meet their child, only to discover that someone else had adopted the child.


Even so, Mozes would apparently explain his way out of these situations, saying that other children were available and could be adopted. In at least one case, Waldman said a couple traveled abroad three separate times only to be told on each occasion that the child they had come to love already had a home.

“He’s very smooth and makes for a very good con artist,” Waldman said. “I’m not sure how much remorse that he feels.”


Although Mozes had been in the adoption business since the 80s, Waldman said the 59 felony counts of obtaining services by false pretences occurred between 2004 and 2008.

Those 59 felony counts all represent people who were duped out of money and never received the child they were promised. However, Waldman said 16 of the couples successfully adopted a child through Mozes, though in most cases it was never the original child they had settled on.
During the investigation, Norma Hansen, a District Attorney investigator, said Mozes, after hearing authorities knew about his string of fraud, pointed out he had also overseen legitimate adoptions.


After divorcing his wife in 2007, Mozes, either to get away from his former wife or realizing authorities were closing in, fled to Miami, Fla.

While there, Mozes moved in with a woman who he said yesterday he plans to marry while in prison. Waldman said the woman allowed Mozes to move in and she even opened his bank accounts under her name.


According to court documents, Mozes was using the aliases Jack Rose and Jerry Brosse.
Had it not been for three arrests, one for driving without a license and two for shoplifting — Hansen said he got caught stealing candy and produce from a convenience store — it’s unclear when or if Mozes would have been caught. And even with these arrests, Miami authorities didn’t realize anything was amiss until after Mozes had been released on bail for the third time. But shortly after the third arrest, Waldman said police there realized Mozes was wanted in Santa Barbara and had been featured on the TV program America’s Most Wanted. He was arrested a short time later at his girlfriend’s apartment.

Authorities seized $300,000, a hefty chunk of which was in gold coins, court documents show. Waldman said a trunk of cash was also taken.

Waldman said the only hurdle to giving this money back to the people it was stolen from is Mozes’ ex-wife, who could claim some of the money belongs to her. Waldman, however, doubts any claim by the ex-wife would hold up.


But even if the entirety of the $300,000 goes to the victims, it’s still far less than Mozes took. Waldman said it’s unclear where the remainder of the funds will come from, though more civil suits could be filed.


As part of the plea agreement, Waldman said the 42 remaining felony counts levied against Mozes would be dismissed. The special allegation he pleaded guilty to was a white-collar crime enhancement, which comes into play when a person steals more than $500,000.

Aside from the good news the plea brought victims (Waldman said she’d heard from many who felt closure and were satisfied with the terms), she said the case is sentimental for many in District Attorney’s Office.


When the office first got the case, the late DA investigator Laura Cleaves was the lead investigator. Cleaves was killed by a drunken driver in May of 2008 while driving home to the Santa Ynez Valley after a late night at work. Cleaves’s vehicle was struck by a black Mercedes near the Highway 154, Santa Ynez River over crossing.

Waldman, choking back tears, said Cleaves was working late that night on the Mozes case.
“I believe that Laura is smiling right now,” she said. “The day she was killed she was working hard on this case.”

JUSTICE: Orson Pleads GUILTY!

The following e-mail came from the Santa Barbara DA today:

Today around 2:30pm, Orson Mozes plead "guilty" to 17 counts of violating Penal Code section 532(a), felony obtaining money by false pretenses. He also admitted the truth of the special allegation charged under Penal Code section 186.11(a)(2), aggravated white collar crime taking over $500,000.

On July 14, 2009 at 1:30pm in department #12, he will be sentenced to 3 years and 4 months in State Prison .

I don't want to post personal details of the restitution because that is the victims' personal information, but I will say that as far as we are concerned, Orson must pay us back for our loss and the court has the assets available to distribute the restitution to his victims. This was a great relief since it was unknown if any monies would be available for restitution.

I feel SO INCREDIBLY grateful to Laura Cleaves, Norma Hansen, and Paula Waldman for taking the pain and suffering of all of Orson's victims seriously and for seeking justice. This is a true victory. Nothing will EVER take away the pain and heartache we endured and we will NEVER stop loving and missing our boys.

Orson Extradited to California

Orson was brought back to California Thursday night and will now have to answer to the 62 felony charges against him. This video shows him stating his innocence and talking about the joy and peace he has in himself. Sickening. I hope this joy and peace comforts him in his jail cell each night.

In Case You Missed It...

If you missed the show you can watch it on demand. Go to the America's Most Wanted website and there is a button that says "Watch Full Episodes". This was Episode 2219, Season 22: Ep 19. We are thankful to America's Most Wanted for a great job on this segment and all their hard work!

AMW Reminder

The segment on Orson Mozes will air this Saturday, January 31st on FOX at 9/8C.

It happens in domestic adoption and foster care too

Click on the title of this post to read the article. The article briefly mentions that private agencies are involved in the lawsuit. In case anyone is wondering which private agencies, the case header for the lawsuit is informative. The private agency names are in blue text.

PAUL BRYAN; BONNIE BRYAN, husband and wife, individually and as parents and natural guardians on behalf of their minor child KB, and KB,
Appellants

v.

ERIE COUNTY OFFICE OF CHILDREN AND YOUTH SERVICES; PAUL
CANCILLA, individually and as an employee of Erie County Office of Children &
Youth; CARMEN E. MERRITT, individually and as an employee of Erie County Office of Children & Youth; RENIE SKALKO, individually and as an employee of Erie County Office of Children & Youth; CINDY BAXTER, individually and as an employee of Erie County Office of Children & Youth; CINDY LEWIS, individually and as an employee of Erie County Office of Children and Youth; BARRY KOHLER, individually and as an employee of Erie County Office of Children & Youth; BRIGITTE SULLIVAN, individually and as an employee of Erie County Office of Children & Youth; BETHESDA CHILDREN’S HOME; ELIZABETH MALLORY, individually and as an employee of Bethesda Children’s Home; COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA, DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WELFARE, WESTERN REGION OFFICE OF CHILDREN, YOUTH and FAMILIES; MICHAEL J. KAZMER, individually and as an employee of the Department of Public Welfare Western Region Office of Children Youth
and Families; HARBORCREEK YOUTH SERVICES; MERRITT L. KLEINER,
individually and as an employee of Harborcreek Youth Services; and JOHN PETULLA, individually and as an employee of Erie County Office of Children & Youth and DPW Bureau of County Children and Youth Programs

http://www.bethesda-home.org/about/about.html is a Lutheran Social Services agency.

http://www.hys-erie.org/about_us.htm is a Catholic agency.

(helps to know who's who)

To quote the legal opinion (and this is one smart judge!)

"I simply can not agree that no reasonable juror would find that placing a known sexual abuser in a home with minor children, with no warning to the foster parents (and with reassurances), is tantamount to “deliberate indifference.” Rather, I believe a reasonable jury could quite easily conclude that such conduct “shocks the conscience.” As the Bryans quite correctly note, it is “shocking” that a “government employee would knowingly place a sexual predator into a home with a nine-year-old unsuspecting child, and give the [foster parents] a false document, which omits the predatory history of the child.”

Bonnie has become a super friend to me over the years and I am very happy to see an injustice righted finally. There is a lot more that I know but it's not my place to share this information. Bonnie and I have a lot of common, including our private agency defendants.

In case anyone is wondering why I posted about this lawsuit, check out who the state child welfare agency is. Same state that licensed Adoption International Program and Main Street.

Jay P. Deratany, the attorney for the Bryans, is part of the reason IL has their Adoption Reform Act. Here are some of the provisions:

The Act provides basic protections for families including: a Bill of Rights for Biological Parents and Adoptive Parents; assurances that agencies disclose policies, fees, and other relevant material prior to a child’s placement in advance of adoption; and requirement that the fees agencies charge are reasonable. The law further requires all child welfare organizations providing adoption services to be 501(c)(3) non-profit organizations, and bands unlicensed companies from advertising adoption services in Illinois. DCFS is also required under the law to license any entity providing adoption services for compensation, and to establish a statewide adoption complaint registry.

The statute also prohibits waivers of liability in contracts.

Be nice if other states followed this trend. It would also be nice if IL would implement the law fully. Other than an out-of-date page on licensed adoption agencies on the IL DCFS website and agency posting annual reports on their websites (some are inaccurate when cross checked with court records stating the agency hasn't been sued when they indeed have), other protections for members of the triad are a lot of pretty words on a piece of legislation. The statewide adoption complaint registry, never started. DCFS whined they needed millions of dollars to set up a toll-free number to ring in their agency licensure department. HUH?

IL also has a foster parent law, same tune, different words.

America's Most Wanted Update

Due to the recent capture and arrest of Orson Mozes, the segment on America's Most Wanted will now air on January 31, 2009 at 9/8 C on FOX.