VZCZCXRO2280
PP RUEHROV
DE RUEHEG #1828/01 2661151
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 231151Z SEP 09
FM AMEMBASSY CAIRO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 3673
INFO RUEHXK/ARAB ISRAELI COLLECTIVE
RUEAHLC/DEPT OF HOMELAND SECURITY WASHINGTON DC
RUCNFB/FBI WASHINGTON DC

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 CAIRO 001828 
 
DEPT FOR CA/FPP, CA/EX, CA/OCS, DS/CR/OCI 
ALSO FOR G/TIP, INL, DRL, PRM, NEA/RA, NEA/ELA, NEA/PPD 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
POSTS FOR FRAUD PREVENTION UNITS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KFRDCVISCMGTCASCKOCIASECPHUMSMIGEG
SUBJECT:  FPU REVIEW OF DIVERSITY VISA CASES REVEALS ANOTHER 
POTENTIAL AVENUE FOR BABY SMUGGLING NETWORK 
 
REFS: (A) 08 CAIRO 2483 (B) 08 CAIRO 2562 (C) CAIRO 207 
  (D) CAIRO 600 (E) CAIRO 1054 
 
¶1. (SBU) Summary: The Cairo Fraud Prevention Unit (FPU) reviewed 
Diversity Visas (DVs) issued by post to identify additional cases of 
the baby trafficking network described in reftels.  A number of 
cases were found that raised the possibility that some DV lottery 
winners applied with newborns that were not their biological 
children. The FPU review of the cases also highlighted the sharp 
spike in DVs issued from FY04 to FY05, attributed mostly to the 
outreach and organizational efforts of the Coptic Church.   End 
Summary. 
 
Fraud Profile and Pattern 
------------------------- 
 
¶2.  (SBU) The profile developed in the reftels with regards to the 
baby smuggling network showed that the smugglers had been utilizing 
all available avenues to move the babies to the United States. 28 
cases in both the American Citizen Services (ACS) and Nonimmigrant 
Visa (NIV) units have been confirmed where babies and young children 
have been successfully smuggled to the United States. The pattern 
pointed to the possibility that the Immigrant Visa unit had also 
been a means by which to smuggle newborns and children. 
 
CCD Adhoc Assistance 
-------------------- 
 
¶3. (SBU) The Fraud Prevention Manager (FPM) requested the assistance 
of the CCD Adhoc team in creating a report that focused on all DVs 
issued with at least one family member being 0-2 years old at the 
time of the application.  In addition, the report needed to cover 
the timeframe 2004-2008 broken down by fiscal year with only 
applicants born in Egypt. The resulting list of 1081 cases was then 
reviewed by the FPU for names of Coptic Christians in accordance 
with the profile developed in reftels. With a final list of 938 
cases, FPU analyzed each case individually to identify those that 
had a high probability of newborns who might not be the biological 
children of the DV parents. 
 
The Results 
----------- 
 
¶4.  (SBU) The 938 cases contained 213 cases of twins, one of the 
common fraud indicators developed for this baby smuggling profile. 
In some of these cases the age difference between the twins and the 
last sibling was almost ten years. In addition, of the 938 cases, 
647 cases had children who were born after the family was notified 
they had won the DV lottery.  In many of these cases the parents 
were in their 40's and already had two or three children between the 
ages of 6-12 years old. In all of the cases where fraud was 
suspected, the DV parents seemed to have "tagged on" a set of twins 
or a single newborn to their already existing family unit. The FPU 
continues to search for a reliable means by which to confirm fraud 
in these cases. 
 
Other Eyebrow Raisers 
--------------------- 
 
¶5.  (SBU) A review of the number of DVs issued at post from FY04 to 
FY05 shows a sharp increase in cases from 1,760 to 3,570. The number 
of DVs issued for each consecutive year then remains constant with 
3,624 for FY-06, 3,554 for FY-07 and 3,557 for FY-08. In addition, 
the percentage of Coptic Christians being issued DVs for each of 
those years also remains constant at about 91 percent. Interviews 
with DV applicants have highlighted the important role the Coptic 
Church has played in not only informing its members about the DV 
lottery, but helping them apply as well.  Given that the FPU has 
confirmed the active role of Coptic priests and nuns in smuggling 
infants and children to the United States through ACS and NIV, post 
believes that the DV lottery may have also been utilized as a means 
for funneling children to the United States. 
 
Comment 
-------- 
 
¶6.  (SBU) On September 17, 2009, an Egyptian judge sentenced eleven 
members of the baby smuggling network to 2-5 years in jail. The 
verdict capped a year-long investigation by the FPU and the Egyptian 
authorities reported in reftels. However, as the FPU focuses on 
other aspects of the network such as the DV lottery, there may be 
future opportunities for more cooperation with the Egyptian 
authorities on this issue. In addition, the FPU hosted on July 6, a 
 
CAIRO 00001828  002 OF 002 
 
 
visiting team from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) who 
arrived in Cairo specifically to begin an investigation of the baby 
smuggling network with regards to Canada. Further close cooperation 
with the RCMP will be important in identifying cases that may have 
used Canada as a means to enter the United States. 
 
SCOBEY