VZCZCXRO5441
PP RUEHROV
DE RUEHEG #1054/01 1611434
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 101434Z JUN 09
FM AMEMBASSY CAIRO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 2812
INFO RUEHXK/ARAB ISRAELI COLLECTIVE
RUEAHLC/DEPT OF HOMELAND SECURITY WASHINGTON DC
RUCNFB/FBI WASHINGTON DC

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 CAIRO 001054 
 
DEPT FOR CA/FPP, CA/EX, CA/OCS, DS/CR/OCI 
ALSO FOR G/TIP, INL, DRL, PRM, NEA/RA, NEA/ELA, NEA/PPD 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
POSTS FOR FRAUD PREVENTION UNITS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KFRDCVISCMGTCASCKOCIASECPHUMSMIGEG

SUBJECT: CA/FPP AND CAIRO FPU IDENTIFY TWO COPTIC PRIESTS AS BABY TRAFFICKERS REFS: (A) 08 CAIRO 2483 (B) 08 CAIRO 2562 (C) CAIRO 207 (D) CAIRO 600
1.(SBU) Summary: CA/FPP and the Cairo Fraud Prevention Unit (FPU) have been reviewing visa and PIERS records in an effort to identify additional cases of the baby trafficking network described in reftels. Through an analysis of PIERS records, a Fraud Prevention Officer (FPO) at CA/FPP linked and identified a Coptic priest who had successfully smuggled newborn twins from Egypt to the United States for purposes of adoption. A further review of PIERS records by the Cairo Fraud Prevention Manager (FPM) subsequently linked and identified another Coptic priest who had successfully smuggled one newborn child from Egypt to the United States also for the purpose of adoption. End Summary. Working the systems -------------------

2.(SBU) The FPO at CA/FPP searched PIERS records looking for applications of young, Egyptian born, naturalized Americans. On the passport applications in 2004 of two four year old twins, handwritten notes described an adoption in North Carolina and name changes. The Consular Consolidated Database (CCD) yielded the original B1/2 visa applications of these twins in 2000 when they applied as newborns and forming part of the family of a Coptic priest and his wife. In addition, TECS showed that the future adoptive mother, an Egyptian-American, departed the United States for Egypt approximately one month before the visas were issued and returned on the same flight with the Coptic priest and his "family." Finally, DHS systems confirmed that the priest remained in the United States obtained a naturalization certificate and applied for a U.S. passport. His wife, however, returned to Egypt. Filling in the Blanks ---------------------

3.With the above information, Cairo FPU checked with contacts at the Egyptian Civil Affairs Agency (CAA). They confirmed that the twins of the priest had never been registered as his biological children. Furthermore, they confirmed that the birth certificates he presented to obtain Egyptian passports were entirely fraudulent. FPU contacted the wife of the priest residing in Cairo who initially denied she ever had twins. However, confronted with the evidence, the wife admitted that her husband had fraudulently obtained birth certificates for two newborn twins born out of wedlock. They applied for visas posing as a family and upon arrival in the United States, handed the babies to the future adoptive father waiting at the airport. According to her, the entire fraud was organized by her husband and she has never seen the babies again. Second Case -----------

4.In the second case identified by the FPM at post, a 2003 U.S. passport application for an Egyptian born, eight year old boy showed handwritten notes indicating an adoption and name change. NIV records indicated that the boy had originally applied as a nine month old baby in 1996. He formed part of a family of a Coptic priest and his wife who applied for B1/2 visas. Checks with CAA confirmed that the baby had never been registered as the biological child of the couple. However, the couple had registered three girls as their biological children. CCD records further indicated that the priest, his wife and three girls had subsequently applied for and received R visas on two separate occasions. However, during their last and third interview in 2004, the couple applied only with one girl and was refused. The case notes from the officer stated that the priest appeared to be "deliberately attempting to obscure the reason for his trip." Challenges and Comment ----------------------

5.The above cases are extremely difficult and time consuming to identify due to the name changes involved and the limited search capability of PIERS which lacks options such as Text Search and Facial Recognition on Demand. However, with the assistance of CA/FPP, post will continue to review visa and passport records in an effort to identify more cases and further develop profiles of this baby trafficking ring in order to assist interviewing officers. In addition, CA/FPP and the FPM are working with the A/RSO-I and Diplomatic Security to further investigate these cases and other CAIRO 00001054 002 OF 002 baby trafficking cases indentified at Post. SCOBEY