Alleged Human Trafficking Adoption Scheme

Officials in Arizona have hired two law firms and a former attorney general to investigate an elected county assessor who is trying to keep his job as he defends himself against human smuggling charges.

An Arizona elected official charged with running an adoption-fraud scheme involving women from the Marshall Islands ran a legal practice and “made happy families,” his attorney said.

Maricopa County Assessor, Paul Petersen is challenging the Board of Supervisor's decision to suspend him. 

Eight Marshallese women have been caught in the middle of an international adoption scandal involving suspended Maricopa County Assessor Paul Petersen, and now some that were brought to Arizona to give birth are moving away. 

Paul Petersen has requested a hearing to contest his suspension as Maricopa County assessor while he awaits trial for human smuggling and other charges related to his adoption business.

For the first time since his arrest last month, Maricopa County Assessor Paul Petersen appeared in an Arizona court where he pleaded not guilty to nearly three dozen charges, including fraud, conspiracy and theft in connection to an international adoption scheme.

The Maricopa County Board of Supervisors has appointed the former county flood control director as a temporary replacement for suspended Assessor Paul Petersen.

An elected official in Arizona pleaded not guilty to more than a dozen federal charges in Arkansas in connection to an alleged adoption fraud scheme.

The governing board in Arizona's most populous county has suspended an elected official accused of running a human smuggling scheme involving pregnant women from the Marshall Islands brought to the U.S. to give birth for adoptions.

A Utah judge has reduced the bail for an Arizona county elected official charged in an alleged human smuggling scheme involving pregnant women.

A Republican state lawmaker says he'll introduce legislation that would allow some elected county officials to be permanently removed from office.

Maricopa County officials are taking the first step to suspend the County Assessor, who is accused of involvement in a human smuggling scheme. FOX 10's Nicole Garcia reports.

Life Church at South Mountain is helping the pregnant women from the Marshall Islands.

The woman accused of helping Maricopa County Assesor, Paul Petersen, in an alleged adoption fraud scheme pleaded not guilty today.

The president of the Republic of the Marshall Islands applauded U.S. authorities for arresting an Arizona elected official accused of running an illegal adoption scheme involving pregnant Marshallese women.

The Maricopa County Board of Supervisors met behind closed doors Monday to discuss the next step following the arrest of County Assessor Paul Petersen. 

The first child has been born connected to a recently uncovered adoption scheme involving Maricopa County Assessor Paul Petersen.

An Arkansas judge ruled Friday that the court will decide individual outcomes to 19 statewide adoption cases against an Arizona elected official accused of human trafficking.

The Arizona elected official facing human smuggling charges over an adoption scheme is in federal custody.

Maricopa County elected officials from both parties are calling on embattled County Assessor Paul Petersen to step down as he faces human smuggling charges.