Con Man Sought For Defrauding Adoptive Families

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Investigators say Orson Mozes' business practices are no laughing matter

For many families in the United States, international adoption can be a last hope for making their home complete. For years, international adoptions have been on the rise, and while any adoption process can be difficult, authorities say one man -- Orson Mozes -- capitalized on his clients' trust and hopes for a child.

Mozes' Adoption International Program (AIP), while licensed in Pennsylvania, was actually run from Mozes' lavish Montecito mansion in Central California. When prospective parents began the process, authorities tell AMW that Mozes claimed to have extensive contacts in Russia, Kazakhstan, and the Ukraine, which yielded only the best and healthiest children.

Mozes also boasted about his 80 percent success rate of uniting a child with a family. All along the way, Mozes made repeated assurances that his company would be able to streamline the adoption process.

In most cases, prospective parents would find a picture of a child on a website that would put them in contact with AIP. Mozes would instruct his new clients to open a FedEx account, and to send an agency fee of between $7,000 and $11,000 to hold the child.

Investigators say Mozes neglected to tell his clients that holding children, who are called "referrals" in the adoption world, is impossible in some countries, especially Kazakhstan. 

According to investigators, Mozes, on at least ten known occasions, promised the same child to multiple adoptive parents.

Authorities say that the majority of prospective parents trying to adopt through AIP were told -- after paying large sums of money, investing a great deal of time, paying additional funds for home studies, and completing INS paperwork -- that their child was no longer available. 

Mozes often told families that a relative or birth mother had reclaimed the child or that country officials or orphanage staff had made a mistake. 

Sometimes he offered no explanation at all.

Couple Loses Three Boys In Kazakhstan Scam

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Dawn and Stephen together in happier times

In 2006, Dawn DeLorenzo and her husband, Joe, had just finished an unsuccessful round of fertility treatments and began the process of looking to adopt.

That's when they came across a photo of a beautiful baby boy on an adoption website.  That photo eventually put them in contact with AIP, and with Orson Mozes. Dawn and Joe eventually fell in love with Alexander, a little boy living in Kazakhstan.

They filled out paperwork, did a home study, and paid thousands of dollars in fees, but after nine months of preparing the adoption, Mozes said the child was no longer available.

Furthermore, Dawn says that Orson refused to pay back any of the fees, instead telling the couple that they would have to fight for the money in court. Somewhat defeated and intimidated, the DeLorenzos stayed with AIP.

So Dawn and Joe pressed on, this time with a new child they found named Stas. The couple flew to Kazakhstan to meet little Stas, and began the two-week bonding process, which is standard for these adoptions. 

Despite Mozes' boast that his referrals were healthy, little Stas was actually sick and developmentally disabled, but it didn't matter: Dawn and Joe fell for Stas, and they named him Stephen. They even celebrated Stephen's first birthday. Ten days later, an official from the Kazakhstan Ministry of Education showed up saying, that the child's birth mother had reclaimed little Stephen.

The DeLorenzos were heartbroken. When they called Orson Mozes, he claimed that he was pulling strings for the couple, but they should choose another child that day.

Devastated, but wanting the trip to be a success, Dawn and Joe found little Andrey and began the process once again. After the standard two-week bonding period, a judge approved the adoption.

After weeks abroad, Joe left Kazakhstan to head back to work. Dawn stayed in the foreign land, waiting and hoping to bring a child home with her.

Following the judge's approval, there was another two-week period allowed for anyone to contest the adoption.  On the last day, Andrey's birth mother came forward.

After legal wrangling in Kazakhstan and later at home, the DeLorenzos ultimately came out empty-handed, and had lost not one but three little boys.

To make matters worse, while in Kazakhstan, the DeLorenzos received an e-mail from another AIP client who had seen the couple's blog about their trials, travels, and tribulations in Kazakhstan.

Authorities tell AMW that the client saw photos of little Andrey, a child that Mozes and AIP had now promised to both couples. 

Where In The World Is Orson Mozes?

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Orson Mozes may be hiding out in Eastern Europe or Canada.

Investigators say that by mid 2007, numerous victims and AIP clients had complained to authorities in both the U.S. and Kazakhstan about Orson Mozes' shady business dealings. When Mozes fled in June 2007, nearly all his clients who were in the midst of adopting were left with nothing.

Authorities tell AMW that Mozes simply took the money and ran. Mozes' ex-wife and AIP co-owner, Christine Brown, would later tell police that Orson took off with close to $500,000 in cash.

There are 62 felony counts of Theft by False Pretense levied against Mozes, one count for each victim.

Authorities say Mozes holds a U.S. passport, but reportedly maintains dual citizenship in Canada, where he could be hiding. He also has contacts and family in Eastern Europe and Russia. 

- By Robert Brown, AMW Staff

AMW Capture #1054

Orson Mozes Captured In Fla.

Cops say fugitive baby broker Orson Mozes was caught December 29, 2008 by Miami-Dade police. Mozes’ capture follows an anonymous tip from someone who saw his picture on AMW.com.

The AMW tipster gave Miami-Dade police several different possible addresses for Mozes. Cops checked out each one and found Mozes in an apartment off the beaten trail in Miami Beach, Fla.