21 Girls adopted by John and Marian DiMaria
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Marian and John DiMarias, conservative evangelical Christians, adopted 21 girls from third-world countries. The adopted girls were all impaired; most were deaf. In February, 2003, the State of Vermont learned that John DiMaria had been sexually abusing the older girls for years. He was convicted and jailed by the State.
During 1999 - 2003 DiMaria and her husband, John DiMaria, lived in Jericho, VT and operated the Gypsy Grace Ranch, advertised as "North America's Largest Breeder" of Gypsy horses, an expensive English draft horse. The DiMarias moved to Vermont from Kentucky, where they also operated a horse farm.
In 2002 and 2003, after the DiMarias had exhausted Marian DiMaria's trust fund of over $7 million, they deceived the Mellon Bank in Pennsylvania, a trustee of the adopted girls' trusts, into sending them $168,000 for fictitious expenses. Further investigation revealed that DiMaria had received and spent $96,000 from one adopted victim's trust, and had defrauded the Social Security Administration of approximately $13,000, after she learned that her husband had been sexually abusing the children.
At least 2 girls were born in China, and Ukraine, at least one girl in India, Russia, Brazil, and Bolivia. (1996 they had 8 from: China, Russia, India, Brazil) - (Olivia, Hannah, Rikki, Tressah, Anya, Elizabeth, + 15 more)
Documents
Title | Publication date |
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Mother who adopted 21 jailed for fraud | 2008 Feb 22 |
Fraud charges denied - Woman accused of raiding trust funds | 2005 Aug 17 |
Woman indicted for mail, wire and Social Security fraud | 2005 Jul 30 |
Empty nest filled with 14 adoptees - Jericho couple have a world of children | 2000 Nov 23 |
the DiMarias of Danville (KY) | 1996 Jan 1 |
Now Chosen, Chinese Girls Take to U.S. | 1995 Apr 27 |
Superintendent of deaf school urged to step down sooner | 1994 Apr 11 |
John D. Betz, 72, Dies; Waste Water Official | 1990 Oct 9 |