North Carolina Woman Faces Felony Charges in Adoption Scam

“A woman faces multiple felony charges in an adoption scam involving several victims in various parts of the country, including Ohio and Nebraska.

Wendy Mae George, 37, of …in Carolina Beach, was recently charged with four counts of obtaining property by false pretense, according to arrest warrants issued by a detective with the Carolina Beach Police Department.

George was arrested on Feb. 22. Arrest warrants state George obtained money in exchange for an unborn child and used forged documents of the pregnancy. Two women and two couples from outside states are listed as victims on the warrants.

On Feb. 21, two separate victims called the police department to report George was allegedly contacting them for the adoption of her unborn child due on March 17, according a search warrant filed two days after the reports.

The search warrant states, “both victims have wired money to Wendy George in pretext to receiving custody of her child once born.” One victim also reported renting a hotel and condo for George, while she also allegedly received Uber rides to travel to doctor’s appointments and to go receive money orders and wired money.

North Carolina Department of Corrections records show George was previously convicted of 16 counts of obtaining property by false pretenses. The conviction took place in New Hanover County in September 2012, for multiple offenses ranging from June to July of 2012.

In a Motion for Production of Patient Information filed in New Hanover County District Court this month, the defendant indicated to the arresting detective that she is not pregnant, while also telling her probation officer that she had the baby in February. Investigators have not found the baby or any record of the baby being born, the document states.

George is being held at the New Hanover County Jail under a $520,000 secured bond. Assistant District Attorney Barrett Temple is prosecuting the case for the state. Assistant Public Defender Niccoya D. Dobson is representing George.”

Text messages and photos to the victims were obtained by the investigating detective, which indicated the victims were anticipating legally adopting the child, once born. According to the same document, the victims Goggled her name; after finding previous felony arrests involving similar charges they became “suspicious that they were being taken advantage of” and being “scammed” by George.”

Carolina Beach woman charged with running an adoption scam involving an unborn child

[Port City Daily 3/20/17 ]

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