Officials charge woman in illegal adoption scheme

FAYETTEVILLE — A Springdale woman has been charged by federal authorities with bringing pregnant women from the Marshall Islands to the United States illegally to have babies who were then fraudulently adopted.

Maki Takehisa, 39, is charged in U.S. District Court with aiding and abetting alien smuggling, a violation of the Compact of Free Association, which is an agreement between the United States and the Republic of the Marshall Islands, according to a federal complaint. The agreement allows Marshall Islanders to freely enter the United States and work but specifically prohibits them coming for purposes of adoption.

Authorities began investigating Takehisa in April 2017 after the FBI received information she was helping others induce pregnant women to travel to Northwest Arkansas and consent to adoptions.

Four women told authorities they came here specifically to have a baby for adoption, according to complaint. Two said Takehisa offered to pay them $10,000, pay the airfare and put them up at a house in Springdale until they gave birth. One said she was actually paid $6,000, the other $4,000. The money was paid in cash by Takehisa after the babies were born.

Takehisa, of 2006 Cardinal Drive, is being held without bail in the Washington County jail. A federal judge ordered during an initial court appearance Tuesday she be detained.

In March, Marshall Islands officials charged a Springdale man, Justin Aine, with human trafficking, according to the Marshall Islands Journal.

The March 14 arrest came after years of mounting concern internationally Marshallese women are being

exploited and coerced into giving up their children for adoption to American couples.

Aine, 46, was charged by the assistant attorney general with one count each of trafficking in person, unlawful solicitation and monetary inducement, according to an article in the Journal.

Aine is accused of recruiting Susan Koraja by giving her $120 cash and

the promise of $10,000 in exchange for her giving up her 1-month-old for adoption when they reached the United States, according to the newspaper. Charged along with Aine were Aiti “Hatty” Anidrep, 49, and Sally Abon, 53.

Aine promised Koraja he would help her family move to the United States if she gave up her child for adoption, according to the Journal.

In Benton and Washington counties, at least four Marshallese women since 2015 have been convicted of fraud involving adoptions. In all the cases, the pregnant women accepted money from two sets of would-be parents and failed to give either set the child when he was born.