an explanation of amrex

We have called AmREX the "evil empire".

Amrex is a facilitation service that was once king of russian adoptions.  They are reputed to be tied up with the russian mafia and known for their strong arm  legal intimidation tactics of Aparents who speak out against them  and threatening  or putting out of business of other facilitators encroaching on "their" turf.  Generally speaking, people in  adoption in the former Soviet countries fear them supposedly  some had to pay them off to do business.

AMREX was never an agency so it was never  burdened  by agency licensing or not for profit laws.   They are for profit and generally fairly efficient at what they did.   But because they were so huge there were screw ups and stories of Aparents being left high and dry with no money, child or recourse.   

Many  agencies used Amrex to make the placements in Russia ( and Kaz , Georgia, ukraine, Belarus, Moldova and others and they made a shot at Uzbekistan) where they had "pull" or even a monopoly in many regions.  They supposedly got the "best" babies.   But the Russian accreditation process was designed to put them out of business.   They then began to  make placements under the "umbrella"  of accredited agencies  (like Beacon House) which contravened Russian law but was hard to enforce since no one admitted in court that their REAL agency was other than the umbrella agency.     Russia has gone after them and their agencies in earnest  in the past few years.    Amrex's connections in high places have been superseded  by the Duma's repeated efforts to outlaw facilitation of any kind.   After much effort, Russia has pretty much shut them down  but they have pretty much shut down  all of Russian adoption in the process.   There are rumors they are  supposedly working in Nepal, Guatemala and So America.   I have no idea if that's true or not.   

They are  notorious for pilfering donations.    

Meanwhile, apparently seeing the handwriting on the wall, they have been  diversifying and developing software systems with catchy names to log and keep track of adoptable children and trying to weasle their way into the Hague process trying to be an accreditor and also trying to sell their software  to  various countries as well as the DOS who supposedly turned them down.  They incorporate in various forms to do this but many of the main players are the same and all can be traced back to AMREX.  They know that intl adoption ( in large part due to their own corrupt actions) is not going to be much of a business anymore where its done now  and so look to reinvent themselves to survive the end of adoption profits while getting whats left of them.  

 This humanitarian aid org is an  attempt to legitimize themselves and branch out,    It's also  another effort to implant themselves where the orphans are so they can control the referrals if there are any to be had.  Down in Alpharette, Georgia ( Atlanta) they are well received and host lots of white tie charity events. and hob nob with well heeled locals.    Their successful entry  into the worldwide  "legitimate" adoption  and humanitarian aid circles is alarming to say the least.

In Africa it remains to be seen whether adoption will become a widespread profitable activity.  It makes me sick that AIDS orphans will be the next get rich quick market where there is such  devastation.   Ethiopia is going strong but most countries dont have the social and legal infrastructure to do IAs.  The activity also smacks of colonialism which doesnt go over well in Africa.     But there is no doubt that there is money to be made in the NGO business  in Africa and south asia.  USAID  alone throws billions at child welfare and other humanitarian aid.   My understanding is that there are plenty of  opportunities for $900 toilet seats there as was the case with defense contractors in the past.   AMREX are masters of siphoning off  aid and making a profit on other's misery.  Where better than Africa where no one expects more than 10% of the aid to arrive at its intended target population anyway?   No one ever gets an accounting of how much grain  and powdered milk makes it to  Somalia. 

I just dont get why these mainstream orgs would team up with AMREX.   Its doing business with the devil for sure.   Maybe just a case of if you cant beat em join em.  Terrifying.....

Amrex says:  "GENESIS, I  AM YOUR FATHER".