Arrests in Ghana and Congo During Adoption Process UPDATED
Public, personal blogs are reporting arrests in Ghana and a competing adoption agency is alluding to arrests in Congo for “kidnapping children for the purpose of adoption”. I will not be linking to the personal blogs, but my savvy readers will be able to find them, I am sure.
The agency that is being implicated by the personal blogs is Dillon. The family is supposedly from California and was adopting 4 children. They had brought along 2 biological children and all the children currently are in an orphanage this weekend while the parents are in a jail cell, according to personal blogs.
The adoption agency competitor’s blog mentions this Congo incident on June 20, 2012. See Combatting Corruption in CongoMLJ adoptions by Sonja Brown. “It has been reported that someone working in DR Congo was arrested for kidnapping children for the purpose of adoption. ” They go on to defend their program and that they conduct ethical adoptions due to dealing with government officals versus individual orphanages.
Personal blogs report that the US Embassy will not be addressing the issue of the US citizens until Monday, June 25, 2012.
REFORM Puzzle Pieces
Update: “An American couple, who used their popular blog to chronicle their journey to adopt four children from Ghana, was detained by Ghanaian authorities and forced to spend a night in detention as they tried to take the children back to the U.S., according to officials.
Sol and Christine Moghadam from Irvine, Calif., were traveling with their two biological children as well as the four adopted siblings, who are originally from the Ghanaian city of Kumasi.
They were stopped Friday at Kotoka International Airport, after the government received a phone call from an anonymous tipster who accused them of child trafficking, according to a statement posted on the website of AdoptTogether, an advocacy group that produced a video of the couple’s adoption process.
“I can tell you that we are investigating a couple who arrived at the airport with six children — four blacks and two whites which aroused the suspicion of security officers at the airport who stopped them from traveling,” Comfort Miah, an official with the Anti-Human Trafficking Unit of the Ghanaian police, told The Associated Press. “They say the children were adopted and we are investigating to find out if this has been properly granted by a court of proper jurisdiction.”
On their blog and in a video created on their behalf, the couple and their friends say Christine Moghadam was forced to spend a night in jail on Friday, while Sol Moghadam was held in a detention center. Their two biological children were placed in an orphanage.
As of Tuesday, they had still not been allowed to leave the country. It was unclear if their biological children had been returned to them.
On their blog, the couple posted on Tuesday: “We are emotionally exhausted and traumatized from the entire incident. … Our case is not complete yet but our chief officer from the Ghana police department has apologized for their overreaction and stated that our detainment was a mistake on their part. Although we have many pending circumstances before uniting our family, we have complete trust in God that He will provide a way out and heal our family from this traumatic situation.”
Their blog, “Our adoption journey to Africa,” has received 47,600 page views. The couple began the application process in 2010, initially petitioning to adopt a child in Ethiopia. They were steered to Ghana in November 2011, after they saw the four siblings on the waiting list of their adoption agency. The blog’s timeline states that they received final approval in April.
Attempts to reach the couple through their blog and through Facebook were not immediately successful.”
US couple detained in Ghana for trying to adopt
[Boston Herald 6/26/12 by Associated Press]
Update 2: “Sol and Christine Moghadam, from Irvine, were traveling with their two biological children and four adopted siblings when they were stopped at Accra’s airport on Friday.
The couple’s two biological sons were taken from them and placed in a Ghanaian orphanage, while Mr and Mrs Moghadam were forced to spend a night in detention.
They were released the following day and reunited with their sons, aged three and seven, and the chief police officer admitted officials had overreacted, Mrs Moghadam said.
But they have still not been allowed to leave the country or see their four adopted children, two boys, aged 10 and 13, and two younger girls.
‘We are investigating a couple who arrived at the airport with six children – four blacks and two whites which aroused the suspicion of security officers at the airport who stopped them from traveling,’ Comfort Miah, from the Anti-Human Trafficking Unit of the Ghanaian police, told AP
‘They say the children were adopted and we are investigating to find out if this has been properly granted by a court of proper jurisdiction.’
In a video created on their behalf, the couple’s friends said Mrs Moghadam was forced to spend a night in jail on Friday, while Mr Moghadam was held in a detention center
Posts suggested the couple had been detained after authorities received an anonymous tip and they only produced copies of their adoption papers, rather than the originals. [What?Why would they NOT have the original adoption papers or were they in a sealed envelope?This is a MAJOR RED FLAG.]
They made immediate contact with their adoption agency, which has reportedly sent out three representatives to help the family.”
The first tried to adopt from Ethiopia. Sol had immigrated from Tehran.
They posted “‘Our case is not complete yet but our chief officer from the Ghana police department has apologized for their overreaction and stated that our detainment was a mistake on their part.’
They added there are ‘many pending circumstances before uniting our family’.
Ghanaian said the couple did provide documents, but that it needed to be checked.”
“‘The couple had documentation, but we have had cases where such documentation is fraudulent, so we are having it verified,’ said Frank Kwofie, from the police’s criminal investigations department.
On Sunday, Sol posted on his wife’s Facebook page and lambasted the U.S. embassy.
‘Granted, that US embassy can not intervene in the Ghanaian legal procedures,’ he wrote. ‘However in my opinion they failed short in protecting US citizens. I think they should have been more involved since there were two minors involved.’
He added that the couple were not told of their rights until a day after they were detained and did not tell them what offense they were accused of committing when they were arrested.”
“Pleas for a lawyer were ignored, as well as requests to call the U.S. Embassy. He added that ‘violence was involved'”
[Daily Mail 6/26/12]
Update 3/Unbelievable Dillon Quotes:
US couple detained in Ghana while trying to adopt
[Fox News 6/26/12 by Associated Press]
“Kyle Tresch, a vice president for the adoption agency Dillon International Inc., said the couple had already obtained a court order
that made them the legal guardians of the four Ghanaian children and were waiting for the U.S. government to approve visas for them when the incident occurred.
They were taken into custody after the government received a phone call from an anonymous tipster who accused them of child trafficking,
according to a statement posted on the website of AdoptTogether, anadvocacy group that produced a video of the couple’s adoption process”
“The couple had to post a bond for their release, and their passports were returned to them on Monday, State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said at a media briefing in Washington on Tuesday.
Tresch said that as of Tuesday, all six children were with the couple. The couple, he said, was free to leave Ghana, though they will need to
wait for visas to be processed before the adopted siblings can leave. Attempts to reach the couple through their blog and through Facebook
were not immediately successful.
Frank Kwofie, director of operations for the police’s criminal investigations department, confirmed that the family had provided
documentation”
“”The paperwork was all in place,” said Tresch of the adoption agency. “This is a situation that has never happened in the 40 year history of
our agency.”
[But the paperwork was NOT all in place as the VISA was not given yet. One of our first posts on this blog in early 2011 was how agencies don’t explain the TWO parts that International adoption is-the legal adoption process or guardianship AND immigration See here. This is a perfect example of what goes wrong when APs don’t even seem to understand this basic concept. Sadly it sounds like the USE is just going to rubberstamp the visa.]
Update 4/June 27 morning
Ghana radio news gives new details quoting a Ghanian official involved with the case.
“The Police have confirmed the arrest and possible prosecution of an American couple who are believed to be engaged in child trafficking.
The couple was picked up at the Kotoka International Airport following a tip-off as they tried to enplane with four children.
Speaking in an interview on Joy FM, the Head of the Anti Human trafficking unit of the Police Service, ACP Frank Coffie said the couple has been granted bail. He however gave the indication that evidence is being gathered to haul the couple before the court for prosecuted.
The couple adopted the children with the intention of taking them to the US but information gathered by the police showed that the couple had diabolical plans for the adoption
Meanwhile, the children have been handed over to the Social Welfare Department to be taken care off.
ACP Coffie also denied turning down a request for an attorney by the couple who insisted on their innocence when they were detained. ”
[We have direct denial of Sol’s claim by the actual Ghanian official. “Granted bail” is VERY different from “released”, which implies no wrongdoing. This smells Laura Silsby-esque]
American couple arrested for child-trafficking
[Radio XYZ 6/26/12]
“The anti-human trafficking unit of the Police service has confirmed the arrest of an American couple for allegedly trafficking four Ghanaian children.
Sol and Christine Moghadam were picked up last Friday as they were about to enplane with the children to their base in California.
The children, two boys, believed to be between 10 and 13 and two younger girls were found together with the couple’s biological children.[Note that they do not say that they are siblings at this time.]
Director of Operations at the Police Criminal Investigations Department, Frank Kwofie, who confirmed the arrest to Joy News, says investigations have started.
According to him, the couple claim to have documents that the children have been adopted but intelligence suggested otherwise.
He said they have previously had documents purporting to have children adopted but it turned out to be false documents.”
Police arrest American couple for human trafficking
[My Ghana Radio 6/26/12]
Update 5/June 27 midday
First, there is a tiny detail mentioned in one blog story that I think is worth highlighting because it speaks to the couple trying to convey innocence to the general public who doesn’t understand how international adoption works.
“”They also posted images of documents issued from Homeland Security allowing them to bring their adopted children, who are overseas orphans, into the United States”
[What they are referring to is the I-600A. That is NOT a visa. That is preliminary paperwork. This is pure CYA/marketing that they are good people.]
California couple jailed in Ghana on suspicion of child trafficking [African Seer 6/26/12]
Now the US confirmatory news that this is a CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION as was alluded to by the Ghanian Press (and again it is notable that the Associated Press made no mention of this in their article that has swept the planet in the past 24 hours)
In US DOS 6/26/12 briefing, this was discussed. This briefing is being published in African online news, but I have yet to see it in US news.
http://www.state.gov/r/pa/prs/dpb/2012/06/194095.htm#GHANA
“QUESTION: I have a – can I just ask you, do you know if you are providing any assistance to the Moghadam family from California, which apparently was detained in Ghana with four adopted children, which they say they legally adopted?
MS. NULAND: I think we are providing assistance. I have something from yesterday. Unfortunately, I don’t have it updated today. We can confirm, obviously, that they were detained by Ghanaian officials who were looking into the legality of the adoption of these four children. A bond has been posted for their release. They’ve now been reunited with their biological children, and as of Monday morning, their passports had been returned to them. We visited the family. We are providing all the appropriate consular services and support, and we are monitoring the situation closely and addressing any questions to us from Ghanaian officials.
QUESTION: I’m sorry. Who’s been reunited with their biological children?
MS. NULAND: This was an American couple – Christine and Soheil Moghadam. We do have a Privacy Act waiver on them. They were in Ghana. They had, on June 14th, adopted four Ghanaian children. There were subsequent questions on the Ghanaian side about that adoption, and we’ve been working through that with them.
QUESTION: So the Moghadam family was reunited with their biological children?
MS. NULAND: They were trying to adopt four, and then they had two biological children with them as well.
QUESTION: And so –
QUESTION: But they haven’t been reunited with the four adopted children?
MS. NULAND: As of yesterday, we were still trying to work with the – through the issues so that they could be and so these adoptions could go forward.
QUESTION: And have the Ghanaians explained to you why they had suspicions or what problems they see with their adoption?
MS. NULAND: They may well have. I don’t have any more detail there, but I would refer you to the Ghanaians about the concerns that they had.
Please.”
Update 6/June 29 morning
There have been a number of updates in the past few days.
(1) Story 1 Irvine couple detained in Ghana cleared of child trafficking [Orange County Register 6/27/12 by Thomas Brian Martinez] makes a new claim that was apparently made by Dillon that their visa applications “were submitted” “Their four newly adopted children, however, will need to wait for their visas before they can leave. Visa applications had been submitted before the incident but they were awaiting approval from the United States.” The headline also was a bit over the top considering that they are OUT ON BAIL.
(2) Story 2, same reporter, does a followup Irvine mom: Ghana trauma included ‘blackmail’[Orange County Register 6/28/12 by Thomas Brian Martinez] This links to the AP blog that now is in operation again and that one of our commenters shared with us yesterday.
This story AGAIN talks about how they were detained IN THE AIRPORT. They do state that the Ghanian children are siblings “The siblings and the couple’s two biological sons, ages 3 and 7, were placed in an orphanage.” The reason I keep bringing this up is that many of the initial Hana Williams/Ethiopia stories claimed that Hana and Immanuel were siblings, when in fact they were unrelated but adopted at the same time.
They play the race card for sympathy: “That they had two “white” children and four “black” children added to the suspicion, Miah said.”
The AP admits there is trafficking in adoption in Ghana as our commenter /God pointed out last night: “”I don’t have any regrets as to how we handled our traumatic situation. I am proud and surprised at the amount of strength and courage all eight of us had to push through. In the midst of all the uncertainties and discomfort, we were well loved and cared for by Ghanaian friends and other Americans in Ghana…
“I admit it was hard to forgive the officer (who) interrogated us and detained us for no reason…. but we have chosen to (forgive him) because we understand that child trafficking is real and to some extent he had every reason in his power and limited understanding to be suspicious of us, only because of the several trafficking cases that have gone under the radar…”
“We were released under the care of two amazing Ghanaian officers who asked for forgiveness for the way our case was handled and eventually shared their contact information with us in hope of visiting all eight of us in America one day”
The AP compares herself to Jesus! “”Prior to our separation, I reminded our children of the sacrifice that Jesus paid by dying on the cross for our sins. He was an innocent man yet falsely accused and humiliated. He didn’t deserve any punishment and yet He chose to do it because of His incredible love for us. ”
The reporter again claims that they are cleared but he admits that he is getting this information FROM DILLON. Sorry that doesn’t cut it for me.
(3) Story 3: Reporter promotes AdoptTogether raising money for them and links to the donation page!
[Orange County Weekly Blog 6/27/12 by Matt Coker]
(4) On Thursday, it gets more interesting. Competitor Bethany Christian Services releases a PR statement about their so-called ethical Ghana program.Sole Accredited U.S.-Based Provider Of Intercountry Adoption From Ghana Supports Country’s Efforts To Protect Children [MarketWatch June 28, 2012] Coincidence or strange timing? It opens up the question of who was that anonymous tipper again?
“Bill Blacuiere believes that it will take “all of us” in the social services arena holding the highest standards to protect these children. “We appreciate and respect the desire of adoptive parents here in the U.S. to serve as a family to orphans waiting for the love they require,” Blacquiere said. “However, the welfare of the children waiting for adoption must remain the primary concern of all parties and, unfortunately, that hasn’t always been the case. That is why certain agencies haven’t been licensed in Ghana.” Now there is an Evangelical underhanded stab!
(5)U.S. couple detained in Ghana while trying to adopt 4 children [CNN 6/29/12 by Vladimir Duthiers]
Again, this reporter takes the word of the fundraiser that all documents are legitimate. How would Adopt Together know this?
(6) Ghana News is reporting that the 4 children are currently with their GHANAIAN GUARDIANS. This is important as if the visa is not coming anytime soon, usually APs do not get to have custody of the children. The question remains: Why did they have custody when the visa is not coming anytime soon?
“Sol and Christine Moghadam were arrested last Friday for over allegations they were attempting to traffic out of Ghana four Ghanaian children it later turned out they had legally adopted.
In the couple’s latest blog posted yesterday, Christine accused the blackmailers she wouldn’t name of being behind the false charges and the subsequent ordeal they suffered at the hands of the police. ”
“Meanwhile Joy News has learnt the adopted children have been returned to their Ghanaian guardians even though the couple is going ahead with their adoption. ”
American couple arrested in Ghana over adoption cry of blackmail
[My Joy Online 6/29/12]
Update 7/July 1, 2012
Three more updates
(1)”A team of officers from the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) of the Ghana Police Service has been dispatched to Kumasi to begin investigations into the controversial adoption of four Ghanaian children by an American Couple. “
“Speaking to Joy FM, the Director of Operations at the CID Frank Kofie conceded that initial information given were inconsistent, the more reason why experts from the CID Headquarters had to be sent to Kumasi to investigate.
According to Frank Kofie, the court that allegedly granted the adoption is in Kumasi, so are the foster parents and the adoption agency, hence the need to go there and get to the bottom of the case.
The Director of Operation, CID assured that the investigators are expected to conclude their work soon.
Frank Kofie stated that both the foster parents and the children have been released pending conclusion of the investigations.”
American couple adoption: Our intelligence was inaccurate – CID
[My Joy Online 6/29/12]
(2) “Reports from international news website indicate that, the Ghana Police Service has rendered an apology to an American couple who were mistakenly arrested for with four Ghanaian kids they had adopted.
According to the CNN report, the police did not only apologize for the mix-up, but blamed wrong intelligence from its anti-human trafficking unit.
Joy FM’s investigations gathered that grandparents of the children, gave them out for adoption because their parents are dead.
Last Friday, police arrested Sol and Christine Moghadam for trafficking four Ghanaian children they claim to have adopted.
CID Director of Operations, ACP Frank Kwofie told Joy FM they were picked while they were about to board a plane with the children for their base in California.
Though the police said the couple had submitted adoption documents that in the words of the police appeared genuine, they held them because they needed to assist investigations.
The couple were however granted bail. On Wednesday the police told Joy FM they would run checks with the social welfare in the Ashanti Region.
They insisted it was important to establish beyond doubt that a circuit court in Kumasi truly sanctioned the adoption. ”
Ghana Police apologize to US couple over wrongful arrest
[My Joy Online 6/29/12]
(3) MLJ adoptions weighs in on this story now. It’s a dog-eat-dog adoption industry… http://www.mljadoptions.com/Media.aspx?articleid=520#ixzz1zPtBcWGO
Update 8/July 10, 2012
Several days ago,a blogger wrongly claimed that a friend had told them that ALL the children have arrived in the US with the Moghadams on June 30, 2012.This was corrected two days ago explaining that they returned WITHOUT the adopted children.
A June 18, 2012 post on the Ramsey’s Discoveries blog (catch phrase Mobilizing Bible translators for the future) indicates that this group visited Sol and Christine and the children they are the process of adopting. The bloggers said that they headed “towards the ocean” and ate dinner with the whole family.
The Moghadam family’s blog confirms that the 4 adopted children are NOT with them in the US. Instead it says that they applied for the visa June 20, 2012 and that Dillon has asked for an expedited visa processing!
We still had questions about trafficking in Ghana and the Kumasi area(frankly it peeves Rally when agencies lack transparency when they mention a town but not an orphanage that they are working in.)
The first paper that we want to share contains the definition of trafficking in Ghana. See here. “”HUMAN TRAFFICKING DEFINITION
Section 1(1) of the Act defines human trafficking as:the recruitment, transportation, transfer, harbouring, trading or receipt of persons for the purpose of exploitation within and across national borders by
(a) The use of threats, force or other forms of coercion, abduction, fraud, deception, the abuse of power or exploitation of vulnerability, or
(b) Giving or receiving payments and benefits to achieve consent.
Exploitation “shall include at a minimum induced prostitution and other forms of sexual exploitation, forced labor or services,
[slavery]9 or practices similar to slavery, servitude, or the removal of organs.”
In practice, the Act’s definition of human trafficking is unclear, most notably due to the use of the conjunctive “or” in
Section 1(1).”
Kumasi is an area that has been a HUB for human trafficking. This could be one reason that officials were suspicious of this adoption.
See
- a 2009 article on the trafficking unit that was established IN Kumasi: http://www.modernghana.com/news/255872/1/police-inaugurates-human-trafficking-unit-in-kumas.html
- a 2007 article (updated in 2011) on how 10 places in Kumasi are big trafficking points http://edition.myjoyonline.com/pages/news/200709/8787.php
- two articles from Sep 2011 about trafficking IN Kumasi
http://edition.myjoyonline.com/pages/news/200801/12229.php and
http://edition.myjoyonline.com/pages/news/200706/5511.php - March 2012 article on trafficking TO Kumasi
http://news.peacefmonline.com/social/201203/98113.php - May 25, 2012-19 year old trafficked in Kumasi
http://spyghana.com/ghana-general-news/crime/2-people-arrested-for-trying-to-sell-boy/ - Canadian student does a piece on Kumasi trafficking June 2012
http://www.jhr.ca/blog/2012/06/poverty-prevents-some-ghanaians-from-seeking-education/ - June 25 2012-Ghana police extort from each other in Kumasi
http://www.adomonline.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=16246:-extortion-culture-in-police-says-senior-police-officers-&catid=25:general&Itemid=233
Another important point that I want to make is that Kumasi has an SOS village
http://www.sos-usa.org/about-sos/where-we-help/africa/ghana/kumasi/pages/default.aspx With living grandparents, WHY would international adoption be offered for these children? Why wouldn’t a local place like the SOS village assist?
Update 9/July 13, 2012
More from Bethany’s Bill Blacquiere. Now he takes his “cause” that they are the only “licensed” agency in Ghana to the Christian Post blog. See Child Trafficking [Christian Post 7/11/12 by Bill Blacquiere]
“Child trafficking is an issue throughout the world, not simply one country. However, in this blog post, I’d like to focus on the situation in Ghana, given the significant media coverage the country recently received for detaining a U.S. couple accused of child trafficking when trying to adopt four children through an unlicensed adoption agency.” [Of course he is referring to Dillon. They may be members of a few adoption lobbying organizations together, but this still is a dog-eat-dog business. And with Bethany JUST opening up their South Africa operation, ANY bad press about African adoptions could cause a loss of business. ]
He condescends to the local Ghanaians to make it sound like they (but not the government who allows Bethany to operate) are clueless to child trafficking. Our update 8 shows that they are WELL AWARE of the issue due to copious news reports, especially in Kumasi. “Lay the foundation for an orphan care system that will educate local countrymen about the impact of child slavery. In Ghana, the government has recognized this and is taking the lead to put stronger systems in place to prevent child slavery.”
He has the audacity to go on to spin IA and recruitment of US PAPs as the CURE for child trafficking!” It will take loving families around the world, stepping up and opening their homes to the most vulnerable—children who are older or with special needs—to protect those who are most susceptible to being trafficked or sold.” 
Update 10: Updates seem to fit what our State Department commenter said about location of arrest. Of course neither story mentions how there are living grandparents involved nor how this region is known for child trafficking. Again no explanation on how children NOT in an orphanage are being adopted internationally.
“An Orange County couple’s dream of having a big family turned into a real-life nightmare.
The couple was arrested, taken to a police station at gunpoint and put behind bars in the West African country of Ghana.
Sol and Christine Moghadam were accused of child trafficking.
The couple already has two boys, Ethan and Isaac. They were in Ghana trying to adopt four more children, two boys and two girls.
What they got was an ordeal. The couple sat down with CBS2 and KCAL9 reporter Stacey Butler to describe what happened to them.
Recalls Sol, “A police officer said you were resisting arrest and I was surprised, ‘What arrest?’”
Moments before the arrest, the couple was on their way to lunch to celebrate what they thought was good news.
A Ghananian judge had just approved their adoption of Stephen, Derrick, Phillis and Ileana — four siblings who were about to be placed in an orphanage.
Sol and Christine knew it would take more than one visit to secure the children as their own, but they were celebrating their future as a family of eight.
That is when, Butler reports, their routine trip took a terrifying turn.
“There was just this sense of, ‘God you have to take over now,’” says Christine.
Once they reached the police station, officers accused the couple of forging the court documents that said the judge approved the adoptions.
They were forced to watch as the children were ripped out of their arms and taken to an unknown location.
“It was quite hard to see all my children ripped apart from me and taken away,” said Sol. “In a country where I had no idea what I’m doing there.”
I was able to hold it together. But all I could think of was — they haven’t eaten all day…where are they gonna take my kids?,” says Christine.
The couple tried calling the US Embassy — to no avail.
And when the couple tried to argue with the detective accusing them of forgery, they were forced into a packed jail cell by six officers with automatic assault rifles.
“We are literally at their mercy so we have to give in,” says Christine.
She was able to keep her cell phone with her and posted their plight on Facebook. Her blog urged everyone to pray.
Social networking … worked. Within 24 hours, their story went international.
US authorities intervened.
All six children were released from the orphanage where police had taken them.
Sol and Christine had a simple message for their four new kids. “We’ve reminded them we would do it all over again — you’re worth that much to us, to pay that cost, that’s nothing,” says Christine.
All six brothers and sisters are finding common ground.
The kids think their two-continent, Brady Bunch-like blended family is “crazy.”
And mom and dad are not going to argue. But it’s the family, the large family, they always wanted.
“Strangers, friends. family would say you are blessing, for what you gave these kids, that’s true — but they in turn have given us a greater blessing,” says Christine.”
Couple Held Captive In Ghana Relate Ordeal To CBS2
[CBS Los Angeles 11/16/12]
[Daily Mail 11/17/12]
The latest on personal blogs is that the Mognaham parents are out on bail and that their 2 bio kids have been released to the custody of the US Embassy in Accra, ie not their parents Sol and Christine. However, all 4 of them (parents bio kids) are all together at the US Embassy.
(the 4 allegedly kidnapped/trafficked children the Mognahams had on paper adopted are back in the orphanage).
Thanks for the update!
My spidey sense is now tingling — as multiple personal blogs are now reporting that “In order to protect this precious family from speculation, judgement, and complete ignorance, I have removed the post. I may possibly repost it later”.
Still nothing on any mainstream media sites. No statement from the Department of State yet either (and State usually, immediately issues a statement along the lines of “we’re providing consular services to the XXX family but unfortunately cannot release any additional details”. No acknowledgement, as yet).
Additional info was posted on a personal blog, along with a plea for MORE donations, support, etc, so I’m taking the liberty of posting a link and an excerpt:
http://www.allarepreciousinhissight.com/2012/06/very-unique-situation.html?m=0
“Apparently an anonymous tipper contacted the Ghana police and made accusations that the Moghadams were child trafficking. The police acted upon this tip, interrogated the Moghadams, but when the Moghadams only had copies (as opposed to originals) of their adoption paperwork, the Ghanaian police arrested Sol and Christine Moghadam and removed all six of the children from their custody for further investigation. Sol and Christine were put in jail while their six children, including their two biological US children, were held in a government orphanage overnight.”
“The Moghadams have been falsely accused of child trafficking, and they have all of the official legal paperwork to prove that the adoption of these four children has been done legally and with integrity. While it’s wonderful that the government officials of Ghana take child trafficking seriously, it’s heartbreaking to see this happen to a legitimate adoptive family.”
My spidey sense is still tingling — particularly as the Government of Ghana democratic, stable and pretty good in terms of the rule of law and due process. I’m having a hard time believing that the GovofGhana would simply arrest this family out of spite or on a tip with no additional evidence (although that is definitely possible). But I just keep coming back to the fact that the GoG would have nothing to gain (their relations with the USA are very good) if indeed they were doing it out of spite.
Paperwork (even seemingly legitimate, original paperwork) can be and HAS been forged. Often. In any number of countries in recent years (Vietnam. Guatemala. China. Ethiopia. Sierra lione, for starters).
And it still strikes me as strange that much of the blogosphere seems to be convinced this family is innocent based on nothing but their blog. Hmmmmmmm.
Thanks again for the great followup. Arrests of PAPs in country are extremely rare. As for any tipoff, it wouldn’t surprise me if that was biological family of the children that tipped this off or on the other end of the spectrum, local “competitors” in the adoption business. The full range of possibilities is still on the table in my mind. I agree with your assessment though that innocence shouldn’t immediately be assumed (nor guilt). Corruption could have occurred on multiple levels here. DOS is extremely slow to issue statements and I don’t believe many if any were issued in real time for individual Guatemala issues-they only issued after there were many incidents.
The 8.23 AM comment was by me too (just looked and realised I forgot to type in my name, so it appears to be written by “Name” 😉
No problem. We accept anonymoous comments and understand why some people may not want to be identified! The original blog post on one of the blogs has been taken down so I expect the other blogs will follow shortly. Again we appreciate you catching the details before they disappear.
Oh my. The US Embassy in Ghana has a **Facebook page** on which there is a short statement regarding this family that reads:
“We welcome the many new visitors to our page who are voicing concerns about the Moghadam family. We are aware of the situation, and are providing Consular services to the family. We are working with appropriate Ghanaian government officials to address the matter, consistent with host country law.”
http://www.facebook.com/USEmbassyGhana
Very professional, right? The comments from Moghadam-family supporters are a HOOT:
My favorites include:
Karen Jackson “What kind of host country law allows young children (who are also foreign citizens) to be forcibly removed (kidnapped) from their parents?? This is a violation of human rights under even the worst global standard if reports are true.”
Lora Rhoden: “What are you [US Embassy] doing to rescue this family from injustice??? Take action to have them released. Do what is right and reunite this family.”
Diana Frederich: “I strongly encourage your staff to provide immediate relief to this family. It is unthinkable that the US government would allow US citizens to stay in a foreign jail without taking immediate action. Their US passport requests all foreign governments to provide aid and protection. Certainly the US embassy should do more, more quickly, than what’s expected from foreign governments. ”
It appears that a number of Americans believe that a US Passport is a magic, get-out-of-jail-abroad card.
I am surprised that they are addressing it at all. They must have received a lot of calls. Would those commenters have rathered that the children also be put into jail with the parents? Orphanages are the child welfare vehicle for this country-that was the only place that they could have gone. If Ghanian parents were arrested in the US, their children would go into US foster care. That is how things work. These people live in a fantasy world that PAPs have some special privilege while traveling in a foreign country. I see that no one ever dares blame the US agency for this!
I somehow doubt the folks above would be equally outraged of the situation was reversed — if, say, an undocumented worker in the US arrested (who had kids in tow) and the kids-in-tow were placed in foster care in the US.
Oh wait, that happens all the time… and there just don’t seem to be a ton of protests.
As an aside, why why why on earth does the US Embassy have a (presumably US Government sanctioned) Facebook page? A diplomatic mission is enhanced by a Facebook page?? Strikes me as SUCH a bad idea, and somehow Australia, UK, Canada, etc manage to get by without Facebook pages for their Ghanaian embassies.
Your point about the NOT YET issued visa is dead on… and interestingly enough, tge family’s personal adoption blog that earlier today said that Ghanaian authorities apologized profusely to SOl and Christine has since been removed. Not just THAT post, the whole blog!!
You can still see the post if you enter this link into google, hit “search”, then hit “cached” and finally scroll over to the 2nd and 3rd images that come up:
http://themoghadamsjourneytoafrica.blogspot.ca/2012/06/thank-you.html?spref=fb
There is a story here. A big story….
There is a very big story here. The comments from Dillon are astounding!They think that they can get away with this! If they didn’t have the visa, the papers were not in order and the Embassy was not involved-no wonder the Embassy was in no hurry to do anything with them on the weekend!
Every AP who has been through the process knows that they should have ORIGINAL papers in a special envelope from the US Embassy. The moment I heard earlier today that they had COPIES of something and that 3 Dillon employees came to their aid, it was obvious that this was a CYA (cover their behinds) operation. With all of this, I still think they are going to be granted visas just like the cases in Guatemala that were CLEARLY trafficking -those cases were given visas. See https://reformtalk.net/2012/04/05/first-impressions-of-us-embassy-cables-from-guatemala/
The mainstream media is writing oodles of articles about this case… Most of which fail to mention the whole released on bond, facing criminal charges, tried to fly off without getting visas for the 4 adopted kids, etc.
I will have to look at that tonight. So far I only had seen Associated Press or versions of that article out there. It is the media smokescreen protecting the industry and I still am not clear if this was a guardianship or adoption. “Trying to adopt” is the phrase which could be the media’s way of saying no visa yet or it could mean guardianship (agency stood in for the AP at court). The latter would require an IR-4 visa and actual adoption proceeding in the US like many Korea adoptions and India adoptions. There is a lot more to this, especially with regard to which orphanage and how the referral came about. I also will not assume that they were heading to the US. All that has been said is that they were in the airport. Did the dad have a passport from Iran? Were they pulling an Angelina JOlie/Cambodia (meaning heading to another country because there was no entry visa.) I see that some of the new ones are declaring them siblings.
How can any AP think they do not need to get a visa at US Embassy? This factoid is not examined. Are they THAT unprepared and unfamiliar with their own process.
ANY agency doing IA has to incorporate that essential piece into its “foreign program”. Even if this is an innocent mistake by APs, what sort of foreign program does Dillon run that its clients have no one to direct them what to do, let alone help them do it? This assumes these APs are woefully unprepared by Dillon and not complicit.
I have no spidey sense and even I am tingling! And I’ll bet Dillion is tingling too like a thing on fire!. They are responsible for this fiasco one way or the other.
Getting caught doing something careless at best, trafficking at worst, even once in 40 years is a disaster in this competitive climate with agencies dropping like flies. If this is Dillon’s fault let’s hope they are held accountable ( fat chance). If the APs tried to pull a fast one then let them learn that laws are laws everywhere and you disregard them at your own risk.
And I hate to say it but I find the timing of the competitor’s condemnation followed by their “assertion that they are different a tad suspicious. They had a statement ready and out there very quickly…. just makes one wonder.
But then agencies are extremely focused on law and ethics when it comes to another agencies practices.
Thanks for your observations! Another factoid that I found was in Dillon’s 2012 brochure. In it, they say that Ghana is 2-trip process (both short trips) yet by all media accounts and their own blog, this couple was doing a 1 trip process. Again I ask WHY? They were in an airport with the children that Dillon said were under legal guardianship. A new article I will add to our updates continues the agency’s spin. http://www.ocregister.com/news/children-361000-couple-ghana.html
At this point, I think US journalists are only asking questions of Dillon and buying whatever they say without research into the steps of international adoption. The APs waving around I600A and fingerprinting documents (preliminary documents that have nothing to do with immigration) as “proof” that the “US” approves has been twisted into saying that all of their paperwork is in order. The media are complete tools for Dillon right now. We need investigative reporters on this story!
So much bad information:
1–The family was NOT arrested at the airport. In fact, the Ghanaian children were NEVER at the airport. The adoptive family was picked up at their hotel because of an anonymous tip and taken to the police station.
2–As pointed our earlier, the parents did NOT have visas for the Ghanaian children. The form they were waving around is basically saying that the children MAY be qualified for a visa pending the approval of a visa official.
3–Like it or not, fraud is rampant in Ghana, and just about any document you can imagine can be provided for the right price. The Ghanaian authorities had every right to investigate PHOTOCOPIES of an adoption order.
4–At no time were any of the family members ‘in the custody’ of the US Embassy.
Thanks for sharing that “In the know” or should I say person from the Department of State? I am honored that someone from DOS felt the need to comment on my little ol’ blog. I appreciate your confirmation of #2. We are well aware of your #3. #4 looked suspicious in those early AP articles and I have noticed that “story” is no longer in subsequent articles. Of course you have piqued our interest in what you say in #1 comment. You are saying that they did have custody of the children but they were in the hotel? We still REALLY want to know what the motive of the anonymous tipper was and which Kumasi orphanage they were in. Any assistance would be greatly appreciated!
In the know makes the point that we are all just speculating. I don’t know who in the know is or whether he/she is more credible than the rest.
Everyone has an opinion ( myself included) based on little information.
Unfortunately what might be a horrific private incident for two families affects hundreds if not many more across the globe. Including people with a huge stake. None of our business is our business the way things work.
The longer the speculation, the worse the rumors, bad publications and misinformation.
Two adults taking 4 kids they may or may not have legal custody of AND attempting to leave the country with them AND bring them (eventually, if not directly) home to California WITHOUT a visa is NOT a “horrific private incident”… it is indeed a very big deal.
It SHOULD affect lots of people — I certainly do not want to live in a world where absconding with kids that aren’t legally in one’s custody and spiriting them off to a country 8,000+ miles away is NOT a crime.
Also, any PAP who does not check to make sure they are meeting all the legal requirements to bring their newly adopted kids home STILL deserves the weight of the law crashing down on them. Ignorance of the law — even if it’s based on bad advice from your adoption agency — isn’t an excuse for breaking it.
*****
Rally – one (and, oddly only one) of the newer news articles says the 4 Ghanaian kids are biological siblings.
Thanks for the tip on the article. I have seen a few in the past 18 hours that do declare that they are siblings.
If indeed our DOS commenter is correct that a tipoff occurred while they were in the hotel and they were not absconding, then it is possible that this is a local bribe-type of corruption. As for effecting many across the globe, I do have to agree with that. Any legitimate adoption could be scrapped in this type of international incident. Let’s not forget that there is a significant number of international adoptions from low-placing countries that are in fact *relative* adoptions. This incompetence or crime may very well negatively effect those proceedings.
I will be posting some newer articles this evening with more commentary as their blog appears to be up again!
The family blog is back up with a statement that raises more questions than it answers.
Dear Christine –
This is God speaking. I read your blog. I am asking you – no, begging – you to stop using my name in vain. You have no idea what true mercy and compassion are. For you to have the cheek to compare your pathetic problems WHICH YOU BROUGHT UPON YOURSELF to the suffering of my sweet Jesus on the cross is just not okay. Really, you astonish me.
So I am trying to not hurl lightning bolts at you like my pal Zeus would be doing. Instead, I am choosing to be the great and all-powerful deity that I am, and thanking you for publicly admitting that there IS trafficking in Ghana. Oopsie. You can no longer pretend that you are engaging in something ethical from an ethical program. You said it, not me. How ironic that a ninny like you who is all about hubris and entitlement is the one to tell the world how unethical adoptions in the country you have chosen can be. Ha-ha, caught you!
But of course you know that is all part of my plan. At least you say that everything in your life is all part of my plan so many f’ing times I really want to pull my beard out, one hair at a time, which will takes eons. That makes me a tiny bit crabby, dear child, so if the world heats up and the storms lash the shore, you have only yourself to blame for the pain and suffering of others. All down to your selfishness.
Allow me to suggest that you clean up your act, dear child. I am watching you. Don’t let me down or you will feel the wrath of my sword. Ask Moses if you don’t believe me. I had to hear so much griping from him about how manna gave him indigestion that I banned him from entering the Promised Land.
Have a nice day!
Love,
God
Praise be to You! I am doubly honored to have both DOS and God comment on my humble little blog in the same day.I see that you have seen the June 28th posting from the AP (of course you are omniscient so you would be the first to know!)We here seek the truth no matter what that is. I was dismayed that the Truth was not discussed on her blog, just accusations. I know that my readers would have loved to have seen a point by point explanation of what the media got wrong. I would have preferred seeing some recognition that the actions of the agency and herself have caused issues for others, but alas, I only saw the Me Me Me mentality on display.
Dear Rally –
You are too kind, dear Rally. I see all, I know all, and I can promise you that the honest and just truth-seekers of this world will receive their crowns in heaven.
The liars, the cheats, the corrupt, the unethical, the traffickers, the adoption agencies who pretend to do good while lining their pockets with silver, the silly and sophomoric adoptive parents who take my name in vain while avoiding the FACTS and the TRUTH, as you so kindly pointed out, well, they will one day find themselves on a hot bed in a special room in a split-level with a leaky roof and junk-filled garage on Judas Street for all eternity. To find it, just hang a right at the corner of Sodom and Gomorrah.
Keep the faith, dear Rally. You are on the side of the angels, even when it feels that no one who should be is listening.
Love,
God
CNN just published an article on the Moghadans and my spidey sense is EXTRA tingly. The key passage says:
“”Our case is not complete yet, but our chief officer from the Ghana police department has apologized for their overreaction and stated that our detainment was a mistake on their part. ”
CNN’s repeated attempts to reach the couple and Ghanaian officials were unsuccessful.”
Note that:
1) CNN quotes the family’s blog that says they’ve been cleared, officials have apologized, etc
2) Ghanian officials HAVE NOT CONFIRMED THIS (!!!!)
3) The Mogdahans are still out on bail!!
4) the Mogdahans do not yet have visas for the 4 Ghanian kids in hand.
5) the article cites one Hank Fortener (of an organization called Adopttogether that helped the family fundraise for this adoption) , when noting the adoption paperwork is legit!!!
This is a HUGE story… Something here is very very VERY wrong!!!!
Here’s the link to the article, published 42 min ago:
http://edition.cnn.com/2012/06/28/world/africa/ghana-us-couple/index.html?c=&page=0
Thanks! Please see Friday morning update that has competitor Bethany’s PR release and Ghana News reporting that the 4 children are currently with their Ghanian guardians
Curiouser and curiouser — Ghanaweb reports that:
“A team of officers from the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) of the Ghana Police Service has been dispatched to Kumasi to begin investigations into the controversial adoption of four Ghanaian children by an American Couple.”
And
”
Speaking to Joy FM, the Director of Operations at the CID Frank Kofie conceded that initial information given were inconsistent, the more reason why experts from the CID Headquarters had to be sent to Kumasi to investigate.
According to Frank Kofie, the court that allegedly granted the adoption is in Kumasi, so are the foster parents and the adoption agency, hence the need to go there and get to the bottom of the case.
The Director of Operation, CID assured that the investigators are expected to conclude their work soon.
Frank Kofie stated that both the foster parents and the children have been released pending conclusion of the investigations.”
So, while Ghanaian officials appear to have conceded that the initial tip regarding the legality of the Mognahans adoption was “inconsistent”… They do not say it is out and out false.
The official also states that his investigation is “expected to conclude soon”… Meaning the Mognahans are currently STILL under investigation.
The more info that comes out about this case, the more my spidey sense tingles….
http://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/NewsArchive/artikel.php?ID=243390
Thanks. I have added that one and another one that says that the grandparents relinquished because parents had died. How sad that the children were being adopted out instead of sponsoring the whole family!That article states that they were boarding a plane to California at time of arrest. Also, competitor MLJ blogs about the situation.
What has happened to this family? Are they home now? There are no updates on their personal blog?
I don’t know exactly. I am sure if they are granted the visa, then there will be many stories about it. Because the latest stories out of Ghana indicate that the children were with the grandparents, I think there is a lot of red tape to get the immigration visa. We will soon be posting some information about the Kumasi region and trafficking. Stay Tuned!
The Moghadam family posted an update on their blog a few days ago – they’re back in Los Angeles and still without the 4 Ghanaian kids they were trying to adopt, ie the US has not yet issued the 4 visas.
The family also claims to have been mistreated by US officials pun their return:
“Even though there wasn’t a problem with our passports, Sol was bullied and mistreated by a few of the immigration officers. Halfway through, I closed my eyes as it hurt too much to watch my husband, a US citizen himself, be ill treated by US immigration officers. Once again, we were ALL traumatized and fearful of what they were going to do with us. Ethan and Isaac were shaking with fear and worried that their parents would be taken away… again. Sol felt betrayed. Betrayed by our own people that we thought would be the ones to welcome us home”
http://themoghadamsjourneytoafrica.blogspot.com/2012/07/finding-peace-in-midst-of-chaos.html
If the adoption was truly legit, why have the Mogdahams have visas yet?
My spidey-sense continues to tingle.
Thanks for sharing. Ghana is supposed to be a two trip process but the questions that has never been answered are why did they have custody of the kids already?; were they really arrested in the airport?; were the children ever in an orphanage or was this some form of private adoption from the grandparents?( which would raise a lot of red flags from an immigration standpoint on the coercion angle.)
The Mogdahans have just posted another update on their blog – they’re still in the US, the 4 ghanaian kids they’re trying to adopt are still in Ghana and, to date, no visa have been issued:
http://themoghadamsjourneytoafrica.blogspot.ca/2012/08/no-regretschoosing-to-look-ahead.html#comment-form
It looks like this adoption is not quite as on the up and up as the Mogdahans have said it is. My questions remain:
1) where are the 4 Ghanaian kids?
2) if the adoption is legit, why (2+ months later) have the visas not been issued??
The spidey-sense tingling continues!!
Thanks for the update. According to Ghana media, the children are residing with their biological grandparents right now. My question still is: how did they receive referrals of children that were not in an orphanage? Second question, why is no one trying to assist the grandparents to take care of these children? Third: Why does the US allow immigration for these types of cases? Their parents are dead according to Ghana media, but they are with their grandparents. Plucking children from living relatives is not the kind of Christianity that I know.
The Mogdahans just blogged that their immigration visas were approved:
http://themoghadamsjourneytoafrica.blogspot.ca/2012/08/joy-in-midst-of-grief.html?m=1
There are still do many unanswered questions:
1) Have the visas really been issued? The PAPs have claimed the paperwork was in order several times before…
2) Are the 4 GhAnian kids *truly* in need of being adopted by foreigners? If the kids are indeed living in Ghana with their bio grandparents, would it not be more appropriate to provide the supports necessary for them to stay in Ghana with their family?
3) What was the result of the GhAnian government’s investigation of the Mogdahans, ie the one that landed them in jail overnight until they could post bail? (The GhAnian government is democratic, stable, has a pretty good track record in terms of due process and rule of law & excellent relations with the USA, ie GovofGhana has nothing to gain by by mistreating an American family for absolutely no reason).
Here’s the post from their blog:
“The past few weeks have been an emotional roller coaster for our family. From receiving the dreaded news of Grandma’s massive stroke to celebrating our I-600 approvals and visas. Nothing could be more emotional than grieving a loss of a loved one and celebrating the birth of 4 children. As sad and excited as I am, my head hurts just trying to make sense of it all. “
The Mogdahans were recently investigated by Child Protective Services as the Elyana (2 yr old adopted from Ghana) was
rushed to hospital —undernourished, with bumps on her head and a body temperature of only 91 degrees .
(A condition similar to that of Douglas and Kirsten Barbour’s adopted Ethiopian children a few months back).
From the Mogdahams blog:
” Chris, I just finished speaking with a Social Worker and I am getting interviewed by the Police… apparently this has turned into an investigation because Elyana has a bump on her forehead from falling on the ground… let me call you back. ” – I hung up the phone and cried out to God…
…Meanwhile, our (Elyana) was getting proper care as doctors … She had suffered a seizure and her core temperature had dropped down to 91 degrees…
….our daughter (Elyana) but we have always been concerned that she wasn’t absorbing anything she ate. Her stomach would swell up with eating the smallest portion of food and she would eat as though she was never full. We felt helpless. With poor absorption and underweight”
Except in this case the doctors/CPS concluded that a severely underweight 2 yr old with a core body temperature of only 91 degrees and great big lumps on her head… was not abused. At all.
How is this conclusion even **possible**?!? I’m not a doctor or social worker, but based on the Mognahams blog, the following questions spring to mind:
1) What kind of parent fails to notice their malnourished, adopted 2 yr old (home 4 months) has lost weight?? Isn’t gaining weight?? Does not seek medical attention for this???
2) How does a parent miss the fact their 2 yr old has a core body temp of only 91 degrees? When hypothermia is defined as a core body temp of less than 95 degrees?? (The family lives in sunny Southern California). Is there any non-abusive explanation of how a child inside a house in CA ends up with a core body temp of 91?!
3) What kind of parent finds lumps on their 2 yr old kid’s head and doesn’t get the lump looked at by a doctor?
(When my son was 2, his hair was brushed daily by me or my husband. It is inconceivable to NOT notice a new lump).
My spidey-sense is tingling. Big time.
http://themoghadamsjourneytoafrica.blogspot.com/2013/01/our-48-hour-nightmareretraumatized.html?m=1
Thanks for finding this. Nutritional issues and seizures…serious stuff. As for the bump on the head, it is common for children internationally adopted to have sensory issues that involve body/space issues and they don’t brace themselves correctly when they fall. In fact they can fall and hit the same place on their head over and over. That is why extreme diligence in those first 6 months is critical. The combination of all of these things is scary. Nutritional issues are something that is never really covered in preplacement education and needs to be reformed. None of these so-called famous international adoption doctors have ever devised any kind of protocol for dealing with this.
I’m still baffled that they didn’t take the little girl to a doctor/specialist to get the feeding issue sorted out sooner — you have a malnourished kid that’s not gaining weight for several months. HUGE red flag!!
Maybe the child is so malnourished that she’s at risk for refeeding syndrome (this would be right after getting back to the states; it can be fatal!)?? If there’s no refeeding syndrome and she’s still not gaining weight, keep looking! Take the kid to a gatroenterologist — maybe she has a parasite or is aspirating on everything she drinks?? Take her to an allergist – perhaps she’s allergic to what she’s being fed?? Perhaps it’s time to try specialised, super-duper high calorie formula (the easy to digest kind given to preemies)?? Try a genetecist – perhaps the kid has a rare syndrome that Affects her metabolidm?? Surely there is a reason the kid isn’t growing.
I just cannot imagine why any parent would NOT take immediate action for a 2 yr old that is NOT growing!!
(As an aside, I’ve a dear friend with a kid that’s perennially at the bottom of the growth chart who has taken him to all of the above plus an endocrinologist annually. She’s maybe 5″, her hubby is maybe 5’4″ and her teeny-tiny son is perfectly healthy – and in the bottom 5th percentile for height/weight bc both his parents are too. The Mogdahams 2 yr old may well be naturally petite but SHOULD still be growing!)