Tampa, Florida – Adoption Agency Director, Debra West, Sentenced to Probation for Overcharging Adoptive Parents
The former director of the Adoption by Choice agency, Debra West, of Tampa Florida recently pleaded guilty to charges of first degree grand theft for overcharging adoptive parents for adoption services. She was ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $178,000 to the affected parents or face up to thirty years in prison.
Because she paid the restitution she avoided jail time and was sentenced to fifteen years of probation for her crimes. She has also been required to pay an additional $4000 to cover the cost of her prosecution within thirty days.
Ms. West admitted to defrauding twenty couples between 2002 and 2005, by charging the couples for fake medical expenses which were supposedly owed to the birth mothers. She also charged the adoptive parents for the living expenses of the pregnant women, but did not pass all of the money on to the intended recipients.
In addition to the probation, Ms. West has been barred from doing any work in child placement, but will be allowed to counsel birth mothers considering adoption. Prosecutors said that while they wished to bar Ms. West from any financial interest in future adoptions, they did not want to take any action that would be considered denying her constitutional right to free speech.
Read more details of this case at Adoption scam nets probation.
If you are considering adoption, please contact our Jacksonville, Florida family law firm for assistance with the adoption process.
Michael A. Atter
Former Prosecutor
Keith L. Maynard
Former Assistant Public Defender
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