Adoption agency acts on baby-buying claims

Ties cut with U.S. agent named in Vietnamese reports

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One article named Mary Payne-Nguyen, a facilitator used by Children's Bridge. Payne-Nguyen runs Amerasian Network, a U.S. non- profit humanitarian operation, with offices in Ho Chi Minh City and California. Until recently, she also co-ordinated adoptions for foreigners.

Payne-Nguyen has reportedly helped arrange about 2,000 adoptions of Vietnamese children internationally. It's unclear how many other adoptions she has facilitated for Canadians through other agencies around the country.

The reports allege several foreign-based, non-governmental agencies are involved in buying babies from Vietnamese mothers for small amounts of cash. The agencies then earn much larger fees- in US dollars- for readying the babies for adoption by foreign parents, the articles allege.