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Swedish Commission Recommends Halting International Adoptions After Uncovering Decades of Fraud

Presented to the Social Services Minister on June 2, the report revealed criminal trafficking of children by private intermediaries—complete with systemic gaps in adoption records.

A view of a building of Sweden's parliament in Stockholm, Sweden, February 25, 2024. REUTERS/ Tom Little/File Photo
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Overview

  • On June 2, the Swedish commission recommended halting international adoptions after finding systemic abuses and fraud spanning several decades.
  • Investigators confirmed child trafficking in every decade from the 1970s to the 2000s involving countries including Sri Lanka, Colombia, Poland and China.
  • The commission found systemic gaps and false information in adoption documentation, such as incorrect birth dates and parentage records.
  • Lead commissioner Anna Singer said the government had known about adoption irregularities very early on and could have intervened sooner.
  • The report urged a formal apology to adoptees and families and noted that annual international adoptions to Sweden have fallen from over 900 in 1985 to just 14 so far in 2025.