The Andersons:
Chapter 14
Eminence Grise
"You ... found something?"
–Darth Vader's first line in The Empire Strikes Back
The following is excerpted from the Anderson’s complaint to the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services (ODJFS), Complaint #4-21-05. When the Andersons’ story appeared on this site, we and they requested their complaint from the ODJFS. Instead of receiving it, all of us were given the run-around – with an excuse-laden letter from Amy Eaton, Chief of the Foster Care Section, Bureau of Accountability and Regulation, Office for Children and Families. It used possibly some of the most specious language in Ohio history to deny a pretty open-and-shut request for public records.
It stank of a political cover-up, quite possibly from resentment of our having reported any and all information from the state of Ohio regarding this adoption agency. Were the powers that be embarrassed by our site and their lack of oversight with respect to Building Blocks Adoption Service, Inc? Had Richard J. Marco Jr., Republican party operative and failed judicial candidate leaned on somebody in Ohio to refuse to give information to us – and the Andersons?
We do not know. We do know when we requested the 2006 Recertification updates for the agency, along with any and all complaints received, the Anderson’s complaint was included with absolutely none of the conditions .
BBAS response to this complaint raises questions and yet gives no answers. A previously unknown player in the Guatemalan adoption scheme — Robert A. Jones and the for-profit corporation U.S. & Global Solutions — was revealed. Judging by documents and an explanation given to Linda Saridakis regarding the Andersons’ unaccounted $1,000 for Audrey’s adoption, Denise needs to give better explanations for where money is going.
We queried several Building Blocks Adoption Service, Inc. Guatemalan clients about Robert A. Jones and U.S. & Global Solutions. Not one of them had any idea who he was. How many portals does a BBAS Guatemalan client’s money flow through? Three? Four? Five? Nobody who should know seems to know, and nobody who does wants to talk about it.
The ODJFS doesn’t care either about the Anderson’s unaccounted-for funds, or Denise Hubbard’s excuse as to where the money went. It’s not in their jurisdiction. The Anderson’s complaint JUST LIKE EVERY OTHER COMPLAINT filed by BBAS clients was cited as “no rule violations.”
Without further discussion, here is the Andersons’ official complaint as recorded by ODJFS.
A complaint was received by voice mail on July 29, 2004. The Specialist contacted the Complainant and the agency, on this date, to obtain further information. The agency administrator and the agency Executive Director were both on vacation. The agency Executive Director did contact this Specialist, as well as other personnel involved in this matter.
The Complainant stated that her son and daughter-in-law were adopting a child from Guatemala through Building Blocks Adoption Service, Inc. They had received a referral for the child in May of 2003 and the child is still in Guatemala. Their adoption is due to be completed around August 19, 2004. The Complainant felt that the adoption process was taking too long and that the agency was not delegating the “Foreign Source Fee” money to the attorney in Guatemala and is not accounting for their money appropriately. She stated she had no received a receipt for her last payment.
The Complainant hired their own attorney from St. Louis to expedite the process. She also informed me Building Blocks informed her that the Complainant tried to bribe someone in Guatemala, but she did not.
This Specialist contacted the agency and requested a copy of the contract, as well as verification of the fees. The agency indicated that they do send receipts, but had not yet been mailed. The agency explained that the “Foreign Source Fee” is money utilized to pay foreign fees and may not all go to an attorney, but may also go to the facilitating agency.
The agency stated that Mr. Jones was the facilitator for U.S. and Global Solutions, whose responsibility [it] is to find an attorney to find a child in the foreign country. Mr. Jones is responsible for paying Roxanna, the attorney in Guatemala. There were some difficulties with Mr. Jones and Juan Pablo (who is the current attorney) who is acting as the “go between” with Roxanna.
Building Blocks initially paid $11,500 to U.S. & Global Solutions/Mr. Jones on May 13, 2003 and an additional $7,000 was wired on July 29, 2004.
A follow-up telephone conversation revealed that the agency was requested to pay an additional $1,000, which the agency paid and did not obtain from the family.
The foreign fees for this adoption appear to be $19,500 through the review of documents and information received.
The agency also stated that one of the attorneys in Guatemala indicated that the Complainant may have been involved in some bribery in Guatemala, which may have caused some delay. The family went to court in September, October, February, April and May and were not approved until June 16, 2004. The family completed the adoption in August 2004.
The agency submitted the contract which documented the “Foreign Source Fee” and acknowledgement that timeframes for adoption cannot be specified and subject to and governed by the laws of the country. The agency also submitted a copy of the initial check to U.S. & Global Solutions/Robert Jones and documentation that they had wired the second payment. The additional payment of $1,000 was required after this information request.
The Complainant continues to feel that the agency delayed the adoption and did not allocate fees appropriately, as a result of information she received in Guatemala. She stated that Roxanna stated that they have received checks from the agency with insufficient funds. She did not know what these checks were for or whether they involved her adoption.
The Complainant did receive the receipt for payment and the adoption has been completed. The Complainant is aware that we cannot monitor issues that occur in foreign countries and that we can only monitor ODJFS requirements, but wanted to have a formal complaint on file.
We discussed the contract as well as not being able to verify what transpired between the agencies and the attorneys. She was informed that the documentation indicated that the “Foreign Source Fee” money was used to pay these fees and that the agency informed me that they paid an additional $1,000 to process their adoption. The Complainant stated that she may file a lawsuit against the agency.
The agency was very cooperative during this investigation. The disposition letter was sent to Ms. McFarland, Administrator, Ms. Hubbard, Executive Director/Owner and Board President on August 31, 2004.
There were no rule violations verified.
Signed by Linda Saridakis, Licensing Specialist on August 31, 2004
Mary Reasor, Licensing Supervisor, October 12, 2004
A letter was included from Sandra A. Harding, Accounts Manager, on Building Blocks Adoption Service, Inc. letterhead to “Juan” (probably the Juan Pablo referred to above in the ODJFS narrative, and the Juan Pablo Carrasco mentioned below) dated July 29, 2004.
Juan:
Total fee is $18,500 for the Anderson adoption as per Mr. Jones contract with BBAS.
Attached is a copy of the check that was sent to Mr. Jones for $11,500 on 5-13-03. The balance wired to you in the amount of $7,000.
Please see that the money is directed to Dr. Ronald Gudiel or Roxanna Gudiel and have them sign that they received the final payment for the Anderson family.
This letter to US and Global Solutions on BBAS stationery dated May 13, 2003, was signed by Denise L. Hubbard
Dear Robert:
Please find the enclosed check(s) per your request:
Anderson: $11,500
One check enclosed for a total of $11,500
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me at any time. Thank you for your assistance.
A copy of the check, number 6539, drawn on a Western Reserve Bank in Medina, Ohio, is included. The check is made out to “US & Global Solutions Robert Jones” for $11,500. Oddly enough, Building Blocks Adoption Service, Inc.’s Western Reserve account is under Gary D. Hubbard’s name. Why not Denise’s? Are they trying to protect something?
A letter dated July 29, 2004 to Dr. Ronald and/or Roxanna Gudiel from Denise Hubbard, Director:
I have wired the final payment for the Anderson family of $7,000 to:
Juan Pablo Carrasco
Diaz Duran and Associates
15 ave 18-28 Z 13
Tel: (502) 361-3370
Fax: (502) 361-3317
Guatemala, Guatemala C.A.
Please note that I have attached a copy of the check and the letter sent to Mr. Robert Jones on May 13, 2003 in the amount of $11,500. The total adoption fee, per the contract Mr. Jones had with BBAS is $18,500.
You may contact the offices of Diaz-Duran to make arrangements to pick up your final fee.
Finally ODJFS closed the case with a letter to the agency’s “director”, Karen McFarland.
August 31, 2004
Ms. Karen McFarland
Building Blocks Adoption Service, Inc.
P.O. Box 1028
52 Public Square
Medina, Ohio 44258
Dear Ms. McFarland:
Our department received a complaint on July 29, 2004 regarding your agency. The Complainant felt that the timelines for adoption were longer than they should have been and that she did not feel that the “Foreign Source Fee” was utilized as specified in the contract.
I have talked with the Complainant and your agency, was well as reviewing documents submitted. The review has resulted in no verifiable rule violations. The Complainant’s son and daughter-in-law signed a contractual agreement, including the “foreign source fee” and information regarding the agency not being able to determine timeframes for adoption. The Complainant received receipts for these fees and the documentation indicates that the money was utilized, as stated in the contract.
The adoption was competed in Guatemala.
Thank you for your cooperation in this matter.
Sincerely,
Linda Saridakis
Licensing Specialist
(216) 787-3611
cc: Elizabeth Dellinger
Denise Hubbard
Mary Reasor
Nothing further happened (not that, at this point in the story, you would expect anything else). But the Andersons’ did get another couple to file a similar complaint.