Agents with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement arrested Tina Scee, 54, on charges of organized scheme to defraud, grand theft, illegally placing a child for adoption and perjury. FDLE began its investigation in 2018 at the request of the Florida Department of Children and Families (DCF) after allegations were made against Scee, a foster parent who adopted a child.
Scee fostered a two-year-old boy and then adopted him in late 2017. Investigators from FDLE, Division of Public Assistance Fraud-Florida Department of Financial Services, DCF and Florida Community Partnership for Children (CPC) investigated the case.
While a foster parent, Scee presented herself as a DCF worker trying to find adoptive homes for children. A couple from Ohio visited Scee to meet a disabled boy and were told the boy was available for adoption. Upon meeting the couple, Scee allowed the child to return to Ohio, but told them they would have to return to Florida several times before the adoption was complete.
Scee had the couple bring the child back to Florida multiple times in September and October 2017 to deceive DCF during site visits, making it appear she took care of the child fulltime.
While the boy was in Ohio, Scee received SNAP benefits and daycare assistance for the child totaling nearly $4,000.
Scee ordered the boy back to Florida on October 31, 2017, for her final adoption hearing, and at the hearing, Scee was granted the adoption. Immediately following the hearing, the boy returned to Ohio. When the couple could not obtain the legal documents necessary to complete their adoption of the boy, they contacted Florida Community Partnership for Children (CPC) for legal guidance, and CPC contacted DCF.
Scee received no money from the couple during her fraud.
Scee turned herself in and was booked into the St. John County Jail on a $20,000 bond. The Office of the State Attorney, Seventh Judicial Circuit will prosecute this case.
