FPU REVIEW OF DIVERSITY VISA CASES REVEALS ANOTHER

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 CAIRO 001828

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: KFRD CVIS CMGT CASC KOCI ASEC PHUM SMIG EG
SUBJECT: FPU REVIEW OF DIVERSITY VISA CASES REVEALS ANOTHER
POTENTIAL AVENUE FOR BABY SMUGGLING NETWORK

REFS: (A) 08 CAIRO 2483 (B) 08 CAIRO 2562 (C) CAIRO 207
(D) CAIRO 600 (E) CAIRO 1054


1. (SBU) Summary: The Cairo Fraud Prevention Unit (FPU) reviewed
Diversity Visas (DVs) issued by post to identify additional cases of
the baby trafficking network described in reftels. A number of
cases were found that raised the possibility that some DV lottery
winners applied with newborns that were not their biological
children. The FPU review of the cases also highlighted the sharp
spike in DVs issued from FY04 to FY05, attributed mostly to the
outreach and organizational efforts of the Coptic Church. End
Summary.

Fraud Profile and Pattern
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2. (SBU) The profile developed in the reftels with regards to the
baby smuggling network showed that the smugglers had been utilizing
all available avenues to move the babies to the United States. 28
cases in both the American Citizen Services (ACS) and Nonimmigrant
Visa (NIV) units have been confirmed where babies and young children
have been successfully smuggled to the United States. The pattern
pointed to the possibility that the Immigrant Visa unit had also
been a means by which to smuggle newborns and children.

CCD Adhoc Assistance
--------------


3. (SBU) The Fraud Prevention Manager (FPM) requested the assistance
of the CCD Adhoc team in creating a report that focused on all DVs
issued with at least one family member being 0-2 years old at the
time of the application. In addition, the report needed to cover
the timeframe 2004-2008 broken down by fiscal year with only
applicants born in Egypt. The resulting list of 1081 cases was then
reviewed by the FPU for names of Coptic Christians in accordance
with the profile developed in reftels. With a final list of 938
cases, FPU analyzed each case individually to identify those that
had a high probability of newborns who might not be the biological
children of the DV parents.

The Results
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4. (SBU) The 938 cases contained 213 cases of twins, one of the
common fraud indicators developed for this baby smuggling profile.
In some of these cases the age difference between the twins and the
last sibling was almost ten years. In addition, of the 938 cases,
647 cases had children who were born after the family was notified
they had won the DV lottery. In many of these cases the parents
were in their 40's and already had two or three children between the
ages of 6-12 years old. In all of the cases where fraud was
suspected, the DV parents seemed to have "tagged on" a set of twins
or a single newborn to their already existing family unit. The FPU
continues to search for a reliable means by which to confirm fraud
in these cases.

Other Eyebrow Raisers
--------------


5. (SBU) A review of the number of DVs issued at post from FY04 to
FY05 shows a sharp increase in cases from 1,760 to 3,570. The number
of DVs issued for each consecutive year then remains constant with
3,624 for FY-06, 3,554 for FY-07 and 3,557 for FY-08. In addition,
the percentage of Coptic Christians being issued DVs for each of
those years also remains constant at about 91 percent. Interviews
with DV applicants have highlighted the important role the Coptic
Church has played in not only informing its members about the DV
lottery, but helping them apply as well. Given that the FPU has
confirmed the active role of Coptic priests and nuns in smuggling
infants and children to the United States through ACS and NIV, post
believes that the DV lottery may have also been utilized as a means
for funneling children to the United States.

Comment
--------------


6. (SBU) On September 17, 2009, an Egyptian judge sentenced eleven
members of the baby smuggling network to 2-5 years in jail. The
verdict capped a year-long investigation by the FPU and the Egyptian
authorities reported in reftels. However, as the FPU focuses on
other aspects of the network such as the DV lottery, there may be
future opportunities for more cooperation with the Egyptian
authorities on this issue. In addition, the FPU hosted on July 6, a

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visiting team from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) who
arrived in Cairo specifically to begin an investigation of the baby
smuggling network with regards to Canada. Further close cooperation
with the RCMP will be important in identifying cases that may have
used Canada as a means to enter the United States.

SCOBEY