Oklahoma City Domestic Adoption Scam UPDATED

“Police say an Oklahoma City woman and her convict boyfriend admitted to an adoption scam, confessing that she faked a pregnancy to trick couples wanting to adopt into paying her living expenses.

One victim lost more than $30,000, police reported.

Serena Carol Mathews, 41, and Scott Thomas Smith, 34, were being held Wednesday night in the Oklahoma County jail.

Police say two other women, Laura Cossey, 32, and Angela Michelle Wilkerson, 31, were conducting the same fraudulent activities.

“At least 20 separate victims … have been preyed upon by Serena Mathews, Angela Wilkerson and Laura Cossey,” Oklahoma City police inspector Phil Williams reported in a court affidavit Friday.

“It appears that the number of victims is continuing to grow and the dollar amounts of the fraud will be astronomical, notwithstanding the emotional and mental victimization,” the police inspector told a judge.

For the rest of the story read Oklahoma City police say adoption scams victimize at least 20
[The Oklahoman 6/2/11 by Nolan Clay]

Update: “In a huge adoption scam, the women, from Oklahoma, advertised for couples online promising they were pregnant and would pass on their children in return for living expenses.

One of the women confessed to police after a victim, who had paid her more than $30,000, contacted authorities when he could not get hold of her after her supposed due date last week.

He had each month paid her $650 in rent for her Oklahomo city house, $160 for electricity, $70 for her water bill, $70 for her gas bill and $250 for gift cards to cover toiletries during her supposed pregnancy.

Serena Carol Mathews, 41, and her convict boyfriend Scott Thomas Smith, 34, are now being held at the Oklahoma County jail for their role in initiating the scam.

Mathews used an alias, Mariah Petree, when committing the fraud and would take pregnancy tests using borrowed urine from a pregnant friend.

Police say at least two other women, thought to be Laura Cossey, 32, and Angela Michelle Wilkerson, 31, also tricked helpless couples out of ‘astronomical’ amounts of money.”

“Charges are pending against Mathews and Smith but Cossey has not been arrested.

There are numerous other arrests anticipated,’ Oklahoma County Assistant District Attorney Scott Rowland told NewsOK. ‘They used the Internet to advertise.

‘I believe there are other victims out there and we hope that they will come forward.’

“Prosecuters said Wilkerson pulled the scam on three families at the same time while she was genuinely pregnant – stealing $12,075 from one family from Missouri and $5,825 from a couple on Pennsylvania.

Police investigator Robert Weemhoff, said the victims ‘didn’t know other adoptive families were involved in the adoption process at the same time.’

‘Wilkerson received money or had her bills paid by the victims or the adoption agencies they were working with,’ he added.”
Women faked pregnancies in huge adoption scam, fooling 20 desperate wannabe parents out of tens of thousands of dollars
[Daily Mail 6/2/11 by Paul Bentley]

Update 2: ” Federal agents converged on a southwest Oklahoma City home Friday afternoon.”

“Court papers say Mathews used no less than a dozen aliases to commit the fraud.

Agents Search Alleged Adoption Scam Home
[News 9 6/3/11 by Dana Hertneky]

Update 3: “32-year-old Angela Michelle Wilkerson pleaded guilty last week in Oklahoma County District Court to trafficking in children.

Wilkerson admitted to taking money from families in several states last December and January, promising she would give up her child to them for adoption.

Wilkerson agreed to pay $55,892 in restitution to her victims and will be on probation for 10 years after serving her prison time.

Authorities didn’t disclose what happened to Wilkerson’s child.”

Oklahoma woman gets 5 years in prison for adoption scam; charged with trafficking in children
[Associated Press 10/21/11]

Update 4: “Two people will spend 27 months behind bars for their roles in an adoption scam that preyed on couples who were desperate to adopt. Serena Mathews, 42, and Scott Smith, 34, both pled guilty to conspiracy to defraud charges in federal court Tuesday.

The U.S Attorney’s Office said Mathews would fake pregnancies.

Williams, a former FBI agent, said Mathews disappeared so he had law enforcement go to her home on a welfare check.

When they arrived, he said they found out she was never pregnant and that it was a fraud.

“For us our whole world came falling down around us that day,” Williams said.

His wife, Nancy, said, “It was a fraud the whole time and it was devastating.”

The couple has now adopted a beautiful baby girl.

Williams said there are other Oklahoma couples that have had similar experiences.

He believes many of them may not even know that they were scammed.”

Woman fakes pregnancy in adoption scam
[KFOR 11/9/11 by Adam Mertz]

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