Maddox, the son of Angelina Jolie, may not have been an orphan as the actress once claimed, according to an exclusive interview with The Sun with the agent who investigated a Cambodian “baby buying” scandal.
Hundreds of American parents utilized adoption facilitator Lauryn Galindo, whose alleged “baby laundering” empire potentially generated millions of dollars and who is accused of regularly fabricating the identities of infants, including the Hollywood actress.
Angelina is the proud mother of six children, some of whom she adopted 9.Angelina is the proud mother of six children, some of whom she adopted.Regarding: GettyThe actress has maintained Maddox was an orphan at all times.9The actress has maintained Maddox was an orphan at all times.The source is thisischriswhite.com.
Richard Cross, the principal investigator into one of the adoption scams and a former US Immigration and Customs agent, is now breaking his nearly two-decade silence to shed light on the enigma surrounding Galindo’s dealings.
He asserts that these include the operation of “Stash Houses,” where infants were confined in filthy conditions, devoid of nourishment and water, and drenched in urine and feces.
Galindo oversaw over 800 adoptions out of 1,600 nationwide between 1997 and 2001, including that of Maddox, who will turn 20 on August 5.
“I believe that the overwhelming majority of children adopted from Cambodia were not ‘orphans’ as the Immigration and Nationality Act defines the term, Cross exclusively told The Sun.
“An orphan under US immigration law is a foreign-born child who does not have any parents because of the death or disappearance of, abandonment or desertion by, or separation or loss from, both parents or has a sole or surviving parent who is unable to care for the child, who has, in writing, irrevocably released the child for emigration and adoption.”
Galindo, a former Hawaiian hula dancer and citizen of the United States, allegedly obtained $9.2 million from adoptive parents, according to allegations presented in her criminal proceedings by prosecutors.
She was sentenced to 18 months in prison in 2004 for visa fraud and money laundering, but she has always maintained her innocence, and in a recent interview she denied operating an unethical practice.
She indicated to The Sun: “Every single day, I wake up and I want to dedicate my body, my speech, my mind, my actions, to doing the best I can to being a force for good.”
CART OF ADOPTION Scam
Galindo maintained unequivocally that Maddox had not been “stolen,” further stating, “I am not convinced of anything concerning Maddox. They were especially cautious in light of the fact that his parent was a celebrity. “That was likely verified twice, and as far as I am aware, Angelina was not in the country at the time of those investigations,”
At the time Galindo was charged in 2003, Jolie supported this claim, stating, “I would never steal a mother’s child. “One can only speculate as to how horrifying that would be in emotion.”
The Sun attempted to contact Galindo and Jolie’s representatives for additional comment but received no response.
Cross made it clear that he would not discuss Maddox’s case in particular: “It would be unethical for me to speak individually without the expressed permission of any of the 600+ adoptive mothers who were also victims in this case.”
His remarks coincide with the premiere of a new documentary, The Stolen Children, which will examine the adoption system in Cambodia and whether or not Angelina’s son Maddox was abducted from his biological family.
Later in the year, 21-year-old filmmaker Elizabeth Jacobs plans to travel to Cambodia in search of answers regarding her adoption, which could shed light on the circumstances surrounding the adoption of hundreds of others, including Maddox.
Cross and his colleague, special agent Rick Deasy, were dispatched to Cambodia in March 2002. It did not take long for the mission to evolve into a criminal investigation involving Galindo, the individual responsible for overseeing the majority of adoptions in the Third World country.
Richard Cross, an agent, investigated one of the most heinous adoption frauds in history.9Richard Cross, an agent, investigated one of the most heinous adoption frauds in history.The source is thisischriswhite.com.The mission, according to him, was called Operation Broken Hearts.9According to him, the name of their mission was Operation Broken Hearts. (Source: thisischriswhite.com)
“For us, the term ‘baby laundering’ meant that for the sole purpose of international adoption, the true identity of a child was being completely concealed and assumed over with a fictitious one,” he explained.
“Every detail pertaining to the infant, including its actual name, date of birth, place of birth, and living relatives in Cambodia, was lost.” Thus, their actual biographical details were permanently altered.
“This made finding biological family members still living in Cambodia almost impossible.”
Galindo and his sister Lynn Devin, who ran an adoption agency in Seattle, were raided, according to him, and a disturbing pattern of “baby laundering” was discovered.
tens of thousands of records were seized. The revelation that we now had direct evidence of baby laundering was a game-changer. Cross stated, “The most severe incidents involved baby switching, which was typically the result of a sick or deceased infant.”
“They regarded these children as mere commodities or specimens of flesh.”
The coconspirators regarded their actual birth identities and family histories as devoid of significance. It was an inhumane enterprise. “Because of this, the terms baby trafficking and baby laundering were coined.”
Angelina is adamant that she would never abscond with a mother’s child, and the adoption of Maddox was thoroughly investigated.