Elk Grove Man Charged In Adult Adoption Scheme To Defraud Undocumented Immigrants
SAN FRANCISCO (CBS SF) -- The purported head of an elaborate adult adoption scheme was arrested Thursday after allegedly defrauding undocumented immigrants and filing fraudulent adoption petitions in the San Francisco Bay Area and elsewhere.
Helaman Hansen, 63, of Elk Grove, was arrested and charged Thursday after a federal grand jury charged him with operating a fraudulent adult-adoption program that targeted undocumented immigrants, U.S. Attorney Benjamin B. Wagner for the Eastern District of California announced.
According to court documents, from October 2012 until last month, Hansen offered undocumented adult immigrants in California the opportunity to become U.S. citizens through legal adoption by American citizens.
Hansen and his co-conspirators profited from the program, known as Americans Helping America Chamber of Commerce, and levied fees up to $10,000.
According to the indictment, Hansen and his co-conspirators got approximately 500 victims to pay more than $500,000 to join the fraudulent program. However, not one of those victims has obtained citizenship.
Hansen and his co-conspirators filed adoption petitions in Sacramento, Los Angeles, Alameda and Marin counties, among others, according to the indictment.
U.S. Attorney Wagner said that not only is the adoption of those immigrants an illegitimate path to U.S. citizenship, but he described Hansen's scheme as a "particularly predatory and manipulative type of fraud that takes advantage of the hopes and dreams of undocumented immigrants to extract fees based on false promises."
If convicted, Hansen could face up to 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
Hansen's arrest is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Victims are encouraged to call the FBI at (916) 977-2479.
By Hannah Albarazi - Follow her on Twitter
