EVIDENCE GROWS AGAINST JORGE PUELLO; RELEASE OF KIDJACKERS MAY BE DELAYED

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Big news popping out of DR tonight. The New York Times reports a growing amount of evidence to connect New Life Children’s Refuge “legal adviser” Jorge Puello to a sex trafficking ring operating in El Salvador. The trafficking suspect, who police believe is Puello, worked with Pablo Nasser, the former deputy director of the Salvadoran Immigration Service to lure foreign girls and women into the country and sell them into prostitution. The latest break comes from two sources: (1) photographs that appear to match Puello and the trafficking suspect and (2) public and court records linking Puello to a Florida address that is tied to the suspect. Hey, I thought Jorge didn’t have a passport! Here’s what the Times says: The Salvadoran police asked their Dominican counterparts on Friday to arrest Mr. Puello. “Dominican authorities should proceed to detain him,” said Augusto Cotto, deputy director of investigations for the Salvadoran police. “If the fingerprints coincide, we’d begin the process to try to bring him to El Salvador.” Eric Álvarez, a spokesman for the Salvadoran chief prosecutor’s office, said Friday that judicial officials had determined that photographs of Mr. Puello in Haiti matched those of the suspect wanted in El Salvador. Continue Reading →

JORGE PUELLO: NOT A LAWYER AFTER ALL

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For my initial report on Jorge Puello, please go directly below this entry. The Associated Press and CBS News reported Friday afternoon that Jorge Puello, “legal adviser” to the New Life adoption traffickers, as suspected, has no license to practice law in The Dominican Republic. AP reporter Frank Bajak writes: Jorge Puello, who has been a high-profile advocate for the American Baptists as they navigate the Haitian justice system, is in apparent violation of Dominican law for failing to register with the local bar association or obtain a license, said Jose Parra, vice president of the Dominican Lawyers Association. Parra said his organization was still investigating the situation and might file a complaint with the Justice Department, which could pursue criminal charges. Last night I asked some questions about Puello’s relationship to CVBC and Laura Silisby. I was particularly interested in whether Puello and Silsby had a pre-quake relationship (about what?) which would have greased the way for Puello to slide in and “advise” the prisoners, their families, and their churches. We now have this small statement from Sean Lankford, whose wife Corinna and daughter Nichole are being held in Haiti, which suggests that either the folks in Idaho are Continue Reading →

WHO IS JORGE PUELLO?

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I’ve been curious about Jorge Puello since his name appeared about 10 days ago as the legal adviser for the New Lifers. Puello made a big splat on CNN when he complained about the severe conditions under which his clients were jailed: “No air conditioning! No Electricity! Very disturbing!” According to news reports Puello was hired by Laura Silby’s church, Central Valley Baptist, after either the church or Laura Silsby and her gang rejected the attorney (or attorneys) recommended by American Consular Services. Puello, in turn, hired Haitian attorney Edwin Coq to represent the detainees, even though Coq speaks Creole and no English. What to make of that nonsense? Last week, according to whose story you believe, Puello fired Coq, claiming that the Haitian had demanded a $60,000 fee and attempted to bribe the prisoners back to the US. Coq denied the accusation, and said he quit because the families back in Idaho never sent him the $60,000 he needed to take the case. Sources inside of Haiti who know Coq claim that he is an “honest young lawyer” and refused to believe Puello’s claim. Coq has complained to the press that Puello has ruined his reputation. Over the weekend Continue Reading →

HAITIANS RELEASE INTERROGATION TAPE: CHILDREN CRY FOR THEIR MOTHERS

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I’m working on another piece and won’t comment on this right now. The video, released by Haitian authorities, shows them interrogating Silsby & Co. Many of the children are crying for their mothers and want to go home, while Laura Silsby tries to explain her “good intentions” Silsby, unlike, the public persona she has carefully crafted, is shaken. The article accompanying the video is here. Watch CBS News Videos Online The page also features a February 5 CBS video of a “sincere” Silsby proclaiming the group meant no disrespect to the Haitian government and had done “nothing wrong.” You may have already seen it, but it’s worth archiving. Watch CBS News Videos Online On a sidenote, The Idaho Statesman this morning published more on Laura Silsby’s financial your-check-is-in-the-mail woes. (Yes, there are more than what we already heard about!) Laura Silsby’s business couldn’t pay rent, taxes. BTW, the company’s Better Business Bureau accreditation “expired” on February 4, 2010. No doubt! And, how have I forgetten this? Personalshoppper.com was promising matching funds up to $50,000 for various children’s and school projects. I can’t get the URL to work as a direct link, but you can cut and paste this: http://www.personalshopper.com/jsp/kcl/what_others_are_saying.jsp

LAURA SILSBY LOSES HER GRIP ON THE GANG; DID THE CON GET CONNED?

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This is the first part of a 2-part blog, which was becoming too long for comfortable consumption. Part 1 is limited to the latest story coming out of Haiti on the break-up of Silsby’s onsite New Lifers and allegations of attempted court bribery last week. The Laura Silsby child lifting case just keeps getting stranger. MSNBC reporter Kerry Sanders reported Saturday that one of Laura Silsby’s “missionaries” slipped a note to his producer Don Wood during an off camera interview. Signed by eight of the 10 prisoners, the note said the detainees feared for their lives. And seemingly feared Silsby. The 3 minute broadcast is below. Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy Here are the relevant parts: We fear for our lies here in Haiti. There is corruption and extortion. Laura wants to control. We believe lying. We are afraid. Please you must listen. We have no way to call. Court will not let us have a say about truth for us We only came as volunteers. We had nothing to do with any documents. We have been lied to. ****** The Associated Press picks it up from there, reporting Sunday morning (Feb. 7) Continue Reading →

"IT JUST SMELLED LIKE CHILD TRAFFICKING TO ME" — US ORPHANAGE DIRECTOR SAYS OF SILSBY & CO

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This nugget slipped through my fingers earlier this week. As far as I know, no one has picked up on the significance I think it has. Haiti judge quizzes US missionaries over child case was published February 3, 2010 by the BBC. The article includes an interview with Hal Nungester, director of HIS Home for Children which underwent a babylift I wrote about earlier. (You need to see the video from the link above. The full length article that you click on at the bottom of the video has a greatly edited version that excludes Nungester as does the article.) BBC: The director of this orphanage was contacted by the American missionaries but was suspicious. Nungester: We’re very cautious about anything that could even appear like traffiicking–child trafficking–and it just smelled like child trafficking to me. The same day CBS News correspondent Bill Whittaker also interviewed Nungester: CBS News has learned the Americans contacted at least two orphanages in Port-au-Prince after the quake. The director of this one turned them away and warned what they were doing was wrong. “They were looking for 100 orphans to take to the DR, the Dominican Republic,” Hal Nungester, with the H.I.S. Home for Continue Reading →

IN THEIR OWN WORDS: NEW LIFERS ON A MISSION FOR GOD AND ADOPTION

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My original blog, from which this is taken, grew and grew, so I’m splitting it up. Part 1 is Laura Silsby, and Chaissa Coulter and others in their own words. Part 2 are the voices and narratives of the children and parents exploited by the Idaho christo-suburbanites. If the blog continues to grow I’ll split it some more. Last night KTBV Boise aired an interview with Silsby. You can see the video and read the transcript here Below are some excerpts from the interview which show clearly that Silsby still doesn’t comprehend that she cannot just pick up kids off the street and ship them off to another country, even if God told her to do it. ” (This audacious claim will be discussed in a later entry). We came here to help the children who had no one else, children that kind of were on the streets or in orphanages that were not in line really for other types of aide. and Silsby called it all a mix-up and said the group is not guilty of any crime. We did have documents we had approval from the Dominican government to go over to, to take these children over to Continue Reading →

TILA TEQUILA WANTS TO ADOPT HAITIAN ORPHANS

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I know this is not serious Haiti news, but I just had to comment. As if things can’t get any worse in Haiti, now comes attention whore and obsessive tweeter Tila Tequila announcing she intends to adopt two (or three) Haitian “orphans.” Of course this wouldn’t happen even if hell freezes over. Numerous sources report that Tequila, apparently recovered from her suicidal tendencies over the December death of so-called fiancee Casey Johnson and her thwarted “attempt” to adopt Johnson’s adopted daughter (another hell freezes over impossibility) tweeted her orphan saving intent yesterday. Last month I wrote about the Casey Johnson adoption scandal here. My favorite headline is Hollywood Gossip’s Tila Tequila Threatens Haitian Orphans with Adoption. Her tweets include (original spelling) I will adop 2 children from HAITI….I’m going to try to do that ASAP! Those poor babies ! Mommy is coming to rescue u my Angels! xoxox.I am going to have 2 biological babies of my own, then adopt 3 other babies who need a home! TILA FOR PRESIDENT!!!!For real 4 real Im filing papers now to adopt a child…a boy around 2 years old!! I’m sooooooo excited! AHHH oops! I wasn’t supposed 2 tell u that!” Aceshowbiz reported Continue Reading →

POLITICAL ARMTWISTING IN PORT AU PRINCE: IT’S STILL ALL ABOUT ADOPTION, IT’S STILL ALL ABOUT US

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I’ve been meaning to post this addition to the Very Important Person Hall of Fame. On January 29, ABC 4 in Salt Lake City reported a baby lift story that involves Very Important Persons in Utah and beyond. The Very Important Person Magnet is Stephen Studdert, (a VIP in his own right) an adviser to Gerald Ford, Ronald Reagan, and George H.W. Bush. You can read his bio on his Studdert Group webite. According to the ABC 4 report Studdert started the Utah Hospital Task Force and negotiated the “release” of 125 “orphans (the figure was later corrected) bound mostly for Salt Lake City and presumably nice Mormon homes. As a former mission president for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Studdert started the task force with a call to all former L.D.S. missionaries who served in Haiti to return in the aftermath of the earthquake to serve again, this time as volunteer interpreters. The task force was expanded to also include medical teams, construction workers and security personnel. The Task Force doesn’t have a webpage, but it does have a blog and a Facebook page. It is working with Healing Hands for Haiti International Foundation, 501(3)(c), which Continue Reading →

SMALL UPDATE IN HAITI: "CHRISTIAN" CHILD LIFTERS IN HAITI "DIDN’T UNDERSTAND" BLAH BLAH BLAH

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It’s only mid-afternoon, but it’s become clear I won’t finish my follow-up on the New Life 10 today, though I’m working on it. There is so much material to wade through. In the meantime, I recommend that you read Mike Doughney’s latest blog, Personal Shopper.com CEO Arrested While Returning from Free Child Shopping Trip to Port au Prince. Also read his previous blog below it. This is very important stuff. I have linked them both under “Featured Blogs” on the right sidebar. Here is an excerpt: Looked at from the point of view of an entrepreneur, what are these things? First, establish a warehouse for the merchandise, and processing facilities to make the merchandise suitable for the customer. Second, expedite the process of governmental approval which customers must obtain, making them as comfortable as possible while they fulfill the government’s mandate of a 60-90 day stay. Third, provide financing for the customers. Fourth, provide food and refreshment to the customers, which along with the lodging provides a “bubble” in which customers need not interact with the locals. But as a business plan, there’s nothing to it, if the people putting it forward can’t seem to grasp the basic illegality of Continue Reading →