(WWJ) - A Macomb County mother has been sentenced to more than 10 years in prison for operating a fraudulent adoption scheme for more than four years.
Tara Lee, 38, of New Haven, pleaded guilty to fraud charges last August and learned her sentencing fate Wednesday before United States District Judge Bernard A. Friedman.
In addition to prison time, Lee was ordered to pay restitution in the amount of more than $1 million and forfeit nearly $300,000.
Prosecutors say Lee told elaborate lies about birth mothers and pregnancies that didn't exist, but neither she nor her organization were licensed by the state to facilitate adoptions or match birth mothers to adoptive families.
From 2014-2018, officials say Lee repeatedly represented herself to adoptive parents as a licensed social worker with a legitimate adoption agency.
Lee admitted on several occasions she matched more than one set of adoptive parents to the same birth mother and also matched adoptive parents with birth mothers who did not exist, were not even pregnant, or had decided not to place their child into adoption. Lee received payment from prospective adoptive parents for these fraudulent matches and she admitted to causing a loss over $250,000.
Prosecutors say Lee spent money from the scam at luxury retailers including $44,065 at Louis Vuitton, $34,899 at Saks Fifth Avenue and $24,655 at Nordstrom. She also spent thousands on fine jewelry, vehicle and boat payments, household upgrades and airline tickets.
Click here to see a breakdown of Lee's spending (.pdf format)
"Lee did more than steal money. She broke her victims' hearts, over and over again. In some cases, she stole her victims' ability to become parents," the government said in a sentencing document. "The harm to Lee's victims goes far beyond the money that they lost. It is impossible to quantify the emotional and psychological pain that she caused to countless families."
Lee's attorneys, who call her a "hard-working and dedicated member of society for most of her adult life," were asking for leniency and have given the judge dozens of letters from mothers, friends and pastors who support her.
