Florida Woman Guilty Of Adoption Subsidy Fraud
Posted on Wednesday, 21 of May , 2008 at 5:36 pm
NEW YORK—A Florida woman ha pleaded guilty to a fraud scheme in connection with the adoption of disabled children, collecting approximately $1.68 million based on misrepresentations about her identity and the childrens’ living situation. Judith Leekin, 63, of Port St. Lucie, Fla., admitted defrauding New York State and New York City out of adoption subsidies that were intended to provide for the care of 11 adopted children.
She pleaded guilty to mail and wire fraud charges before U.S. District Judge Richard M. Berman in Manhattan federal court.
There are children in the foster care systems of New York State and New York City whose age, background, or physical or mental disability make it more difficult to find an adoptive placement. In order to increase the likelihood of these children finding permanent homes, New York State has enacted legislation which allows payments to be made for the care and maintenance of these adopted children who fit the definition of handicapped or hard-to-place as defined by New York State law and regulations.Monthly subsidy payments are available to all eligible children until the age of 21 regardless of the adoptive parent’s income. These payments are discontinued only when it is determined by a social services official that the adoptive parent is no longer legally responsible for the support of the child or that the child is no longer receiving any support from the parent.
The New York City Administration for Children’s Services requests adoptive parents who are receiving adoption subsidies from NYC ACS to submit an annual certification form accompanied by supporting paperwork, the purpose of which is to determine
whether adoptive parents continue to be legally responsible for the support of their adopted children and whether the adoptive parents are still providing support. New York State law requires that adoptive parents notify the State in the event that they
either cease to be legally responsible for the child or are no longer providing support, or if the child has died.
Between 1988 and 1996, Leekin adopted 11 children in New York City, many of who were physically and/or mentally disabled, and maintained custody of a 12th adopted child. Prosecutors said Leekin misrepresented her identity and living situation to the New York State Office of Children & Family Services and the NYC ACS in order to adopt Adopted Children 1-11. She used four different, fake names in adopting the children, and misrepresented both how many other children were in her care and the extent of the physical and mental disabilities of those children.Between 1988 and July 18, 2007, based on these misrepresentations, Leekin collected approximately $1.68 million in adoption subsidies, and used the money to support a lavish lifestyle for herself.
In 1997, Leekin lived with adopted children 1-12 in Queens. During this time, adopted children 1-11 lived in the basement of Leekin’s home and did not go to school or outside. In addition, prosecutors say several of adopted children 1-11 were restrained in order to prevent them from getting out of their beds.
In 1998, Leekin moved with adopted children 1-12 from New York to Port St. Lucie, Florida, and while there, caused adopted children 1-11 to live in a similar manner to which they had lived in New York, according to prosecutors.
Between 2004 and July 2007, in Florida, adopted children 1-10 slept on the floor of a storage room abutting the garage and typically only entered the house to use the bathroom or the kitchen. In addition, adopted children 1-10 did not attend school, and several of the children were restrained using plastic ties. Neither the NYS OCFS nor the NYC ACS reportedly knew about the manner in which Leekin treated the children.
In order to collect the adoption subsidies for the children, Leekin submitted Certification Forms containing false information. For example, in 2002, Leekin (using the aliases “Eastlyn Giraud” and “Michelle Wells”) submitted to the NYC ACS copies of school report cards for seven of the adopted children, based on which Leekin received adoption subsidies on behalf of those children. The report cards, however, were fraudulent, and the children had never attended the schools reflected on the report cards, prosecutors said.
In addition, Leekin allegedly submitted multiple false Certification Forms for adopted child 11 who was so severely mentally and physically handicapped that s/he could neither speak nor walk. In 2000, Leekin removed the child from her home, and stopped providing care for the child altogether. Nevertheless, she continued to submit Certification Forms for the child in which she falsely stated that the child continued to live in her home.
Leekin continued to collect adoption subsidies for the child until July 18, 2007, when her scheme was discovered.
She pleaded guilty to one count of mail fraud and one count of wire fraud. Each charge carries a maximum penalty of 20 years’ imprisonment and a fine of the greater of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense. Leekin is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Berman on July 23. 5-21-08
Category: Children, Courts, Crime, Disabled, Family, Government, New York State
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