FBI Investigates Lackawanna Family Court - Pa.

Blogger Note:
While this story talks about situations that appear to do with divorce custody cases but we posted it because we would think that the same would hold true in other forms of child welfare cases.

Dave Bohman

Action 16 Investigative Reporter

We know more about why Federal Officials are investigating a program in the Lackawanna County Family Court system.

In September, and again this week, FBI agents confiscated records from Family Court.

Newswatch 16 has learned the Guardian ad Litem is a court appointed lawyer who represents a child while its mother and father try to settle custody cases.

One or both parents are required to pay the fees for the Guardian at Litem's services. Sources tell us Federal agents are looking to see if parents were cheated, and if the fees were pocketed.

A woman who does not want to be identified because she`s testified to law enforcement agents claims she was cheated out of thousands during supervised visits with her young son.

"It broke me," she said. "Paying that amount of money. It broke me."

Her ex has custody of her son.

Lackawanna County records showed that she was supposed to pay $20 an hour for a caseworker to supervise her weekly visits.

Instead, she said she was charged $65 an hour.

"One hour, and the hour would go by so quick," the woman recounted of her visits. "Here`s my money. I see my son for the hour. Goodbye."

She also said the caseworker insisted on taking cash and refused to write receipts.

"I didn`t get any receipts no," the woman said. "I tried very hard. She said the County knows how much you`re paying."

Sources tell Newswatch 16 several non-custodial parents are complaining that they`ve been overcharged for supervised visits and not given receipts. And a recent federal subpoena of the Guardian ad Litem`s office appears to be getting some answers.

Court papers show a Federal Grand Jury directed the Lackawanna County Courts to give investigators every case supervised by Attorney Danielle Ross. She runs the Lackawanna County Guardian ad Litem program, and assigns caseworkers for supervised visits.

This woman said Ross was the guardian ad litem for her son. The woman claims she was overcharged between $1500 and $2000 in the last two-and-a-half years.

"You don`t want to give up," she tells us. "So just keep fighting, because it`s just not fair for people to get away with lies and deceitfulness. And then they work for the County? It`s unexplainable."

We tried to contact Guardian ad Litem Administrator Danielle Ross. Her secretary said Ross was busy with clients when we visited, and Ross did not return our phone calls.

There have been no criminal charges filed in the case.

Meantime, the woman you heard from is now paying just $20 and not $65 dollars an hour for visitation, after telling her story to law enforcement.

Source http://www.wnep.com/wnep-fbi-investigates-lackawanna-family-court-20111117,0,3181517.story

Articles about foster care $$ and possible fraud

Here is a blog following foster care money. It's interesting to not how much money is to be made and some of the fraud that goes on.

http://joshuaallenonline.com/category/foster-care-salaries/

Report Corruption To The FBI?

A lot of people are reporting CPS, the courts, Gals, and etc. to the FBI. We never thought about that before. While it would be wonderful if the FBI would do something about the plight of American families, we are quickly reminded how the FBI and CIA were involved (allegedly?) in the Franklin Cover Up and the whole Boys and Girls Town child sex trafficking ordeal. (Or was it just the CIA? Doesn't matter, it seems they all work hand in hand.)

We don't know how effective reporting corruption to the FBI would be but the FBI does post the following on their website:

Public Corruption
Why It’s Our #1 Criminal Priority

03/26/10

Public corruption is a breach of trust by federal, state, or local officials—often with the help of private sector accomplices. It’s also the FBI’s top criminal investigative priority. To explain why the Bureau takes public corruption so seriously and how we investigate, we talked with Special Agent Patrick Bohrer, assistant section chief of our Public Corruption/Civil Rights program at FBI Headquarters.

Question: Why is public corruption so high on the FBI’s list of investigative priorities?
Answer: Because of its impact. Corrupt public officials undermine our country’s national security, our overall safety, the public trust, and confidence in the U.S. government, wasting billions of dollars along the way. This corruption can tarnish virtually every aspect of society. For example, a border official might take a bribe, knowingly or unknowingly letting in a truck containing weapons of mass destruction. Or corrupt state legislators could cast deciding votes on a bill providing funding or other benefits to a company for the wrong reasons. Or at the local level, a building inspector might be paid to overlook some bad wiring, which could cause a deadly fire down the road.

Q: Can you describe the kinds of public corruption that the FBI investigates?
A: It really runs the gamut. Bribery is the most common. But there’s also extortion, embezzlement, racketeering, kickbacks, and money laundering, as well as wire, mail, bank, and tax fraud. Right now, based on our intelligence on emerging trends, we are focused specifically on several major issues: corruption along our national borders; corrupt officials who take advantage of natural disasters or economic crises to divert some of the government’s aid into their own pockets; and a myriad of officials who may personally benefit from the economic stimulus funding.

Q: Where do you find this corruption?
A: Just about everywhere—at the federal, state, and local levels throughout the country. And I should point out, the vast majority of our country’s public officials are honest and work hard to improve the lives of the American people. But a small number make decisions for the wrong reasons—usually, to line their own pockets or those of friends and family. These people can be found—and have been found—in legislatures, courts, city halls, law enforcement departments, school and zoning boards, government agencies of all kinds (including those that regulate elections and transportation), and even companies that do business with government.

Q: How does the FBI investigate public corruption?
A: We’re in a unique position to investigate allegations of public corruption. Our lawful use of sophisticated investigative tools and methods—like undercover operations, court-authorized electronic surveillance, and informants—often gives us a front-row seat to witness the actual exchange of bribe money or a backroom handshake that seals an illegal deal…and enough evidence to send the culprits to prison. But we have plenty of help. We often work in conjunction with the inspector general offices from various federal agencies, as well as with our state and local partners. And we depend greatly on assistance from the public. So let me end by saying, if anyone out there has any information about potential wrongdoing by a public official, please submit a tip online or contact your local FBI field office. Your help really makes a difference.

Source http://www.fbi.gov/news/stories/2010/march/corruption_032610/public-corruption-why-it2019s-our-1-criminal-priority

While reporting the corruption you believe is involved in your CPS case does help you document all of what is going on and what you have done to remedy the situation, we are unsure just how helpful it would be. It really is hard to know who to trust or count on once you are involved with CPS.