Adoption Fraud: Tinkerbelle Adoption Consultants & The Pregnancy Choices UPDATED

A Gary, Indiana woman is under investigation for her Tinkerbell Adoptions Consultants website. This is not a licensed adoption agency in the state of Indiana.

“The website lists details on pregnant women with their age, race and other information.” It has been in operation since at least 2008.

The victims say they paid thousands of dollars and got nothing in return.

“She hooks them with this mom has chosen you and you know you’re gonna have a baby and we need to get the paperwork and you need to send me the $5,000,” said Davis.[employee of a licensed agency]

“Within a week of getting the money, even days with a couple of them, communication drops off. She told one of them that the baby had died,” she said. “I mean just horrible things. And these families have to rebuild after that.”

“Through investigations we determined that there were couples that paid more of a fee when they were identified with a birth mother,” said Indiana State Police Detective Jeffrey Matson.

This week, Matson served a search warrant at the home of the woman allegedly behind the site.”

At least 3 victims have been confirmed.

Victims: Adoption Web Site Is A Scam
[CBS News Chicago 3/30/11 by Pamela Jones]

Update: “Indiana State Police say a Gary woman faces 14 counts of fraud and other charges for alleged running two bogus adoption websites.

Police said Wednesday that 42-year-old Lynn Ellis ran two websites — Tinkerbell Adoption Referral and The Pregnancy Choices — offering to facilitate the adoption of children. They say people across the U.S paid fees believing they were beginning the process of being paired with an adoptive mother, but no adoptions occurred.

Police also say Ellis doesn’t have a state license to facilitate adoptions.

Ellis doesn’t have a published telephone number. The Times of Munster reports investigators and prosecutors were working with her attorney to arrange her surrender.”

Gary woman accused of adoption fraud

[WISH TV 12/19/12 by Associated Press]

REFORM Puzzle Piece

Update 2:”A woman in Gary faces 15 felony and 16 misdemeanor charges after an investigation with the Indiana State Police found she was operating unauthorized adoption websites.”

“Ellis faces charges of one count of profiting from adoption and 14 counts of fraud, both Class D felonies. She also faces two counts of unauthorized adoption advertising and 14 counts of unauthorized adoption facilitation, both Class A misdemeanors.”

Gary woman charged with adoption fraud

[Post Tribune 12/19/12 by Matt Mikus]

Lynn M. Ellis has an alias of  Lynn Smith. “People seeking adoption paid Ellis a fee believing they were beginning the process of being paired with an adoptive mother, police said, but no adoption ever took place.”

ry woman charged in adoption scams

[Northwest Indiana Times 12/19/12]