UPDATE ON CASE OF FRAUDULENT BIRTH REGISTRATIONS

UNCLAS CAIRO 000600 DEPT FOR CA/FPP, CA/EX, CA/OCS, CA/P, AND DS/CR/OCI ALSO FOR G/TIP, INL, DRL, PRM, NEA/RA, NEA/ELA, AND NEA/PPD SIPDIS SENSITIVE POSTS FOR FRAUD PREVENTION UNITS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: KFRDCVISCMGTCASCKOCIASECPHUMSMIGEG SUBJECT: UPDATE ON CASE OF FRAUDULENT BIRTH REGISTRATIONS REFS: (A) 08 CAIRO 2483 (B) 08 CAIRO 2562 (C) CAIRO 207 ¶1. (SBU) Summary: Working with the Canadian Embassy in Cairo, the Fraud Prevention Unit (FPU) has identified at least five cases from the Canadians that fit the profile of the confirmed baby trafficking cases described in reftels. In addition, the FPU has uncovered one additional case from the nonimmigrant visa (NIV) unit of an elderly couple attempting to travel to the United Qtes with a three year old they claimed was their natural son, but who turned out not to be related. Finally, the uncovering of the baby trafficking network has heightened the awareness of Egyptian authorities at the various heath offices with regards to attempts to acquire birth certificates with bogus letters from medical doctors. The Canadian List -------------- ¶2. (SBU) The Migration Integrity Officer (MIO) at the Canadian Embassy in Cairo reviewed 1000 cases of individuals who applied for a Canadian passport and/or Canadian Citizenship Card for their respective newborns during the past five years. From that list the MIO identified 98 possible cases that fit the profile and information developed by the FPU. The Fraud Prevention Manager (FPM) and A/RSO-I reviewed the cases and determined that there was a high probability that at least five were connected to the same baby trafficking network. For example, in one case, a 54 year old woman applied for a Canadian passport for a child she claimed was her first after 16 years of marriage. In another case, a 60 year old man and a 48 year old woman applied for a Canadian passport for a newborn they claimed was their first after 15 years of marriage. In other cases, the name of the doctor who delivered the baby was the same name of the one who has been arrested by Egyptian authorities for his involvement in selling newborns. The NIV case -------------- ¶3. (SBU) An alert visa line officer referred a case to FPU of a 49 year old woman and a 77 year old man who was applying for tourist visas along with a three year old boy they claimed was their first and only natural born son. About two years ago the couple had been refused visas and subsequently traveled to Spain with their alleged six month old newborn. Questioning of the couple by the FPM and A/RSO-I yielded emphatic denials that they were not the natural parents of the child. Further questioning by Egyptian State Security Investigative Services produced the same results. However, DNA testing ordered by the prosecutor confirmed that the boy could not be the natural son of the elderly couple. This particular case is the first one that the FPM and A/RSO-I have found where neither alleged parent was an American citizen. The Impact -------------- ¶4. (SBU) As a result of the uncovering of the baby trafficking network the MIO confirmed that the Canadian Embassy now routinely requests supplementary medical documentation in citizenship cases. Previously, Canadian passports and Citizenship Cards were being issued based only on the presentation of a genuine local birth certificate by the Canadian parent. The MIO also mentioned that DNA testing is now considered an option in confirming relationships in suspect cases. Finally, some local health offices have become very careful about issuing birth certificates to Egyptian American couples in particular. Local and international news media continue to follow the case and there may be more substantial impact on local rules and regulations regarding the issuance of birth certificates and/or passports. SCOBEY