1. AHEPA ORPHAN SMUGGLING

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ySr_iG5YOOg (VIDEO4TLDR)

Beginning in the 1940s Ernest Mittler (a New York Defense Attorney) investigated domestic baby-selling rings extending across North America and Canada (search “georgia mann”). A vocal advocate for domestic adoption reform, he first discovered AHEPA’s international ring in the 1950’s. In 1959 Stephen S. Scopas, a magistrate who had been appointed by Mayor Robert F. Wagner (and Supreme President of AHEPA) , was indicted on charges of selling 30 Greek children to New York couples. In a scandal that captured front-page headlines, Mr. Scopas was charged with accepting payment for placing the children and for doing so without authorization. Though forced to resign, Mr. Scopas was acquitted. A judge ruled that because the adoptions had been legal in Greece -- as it was believed at the time -- Mr. Scopas could not be convicted in New York. Because adoption laws were considered a “states-rights” issue, they differed widely. This lack of standardization continues to facilitate inter-state and international adoption rings. Thus, AHEPA was able to operate with relative impunity well into the 1970’s (and, I believe, to this day).

https://www.silive.com/news/2012/02/historic_pages_from_the_archiv_159.html

OUSTED JUDGE CALLED BY D.A. Still insisting that he is innocent of any wrongdoing, former City Magistrate Stephen S. Scopas was due to show up today in Manhattan District Attorney Frank S. Hogan's office to answer questions about his role in the adoption of Greek orphans and their immigration to this country. Scopas was ordered to undergo the questioning following a report submitted to Mayor Wagner last Friday by Commissioner of Investigation Louis I. Kaplan. On the basis of the report, Wagner asked Scopas to resign as magistrate on Saturday. Several hours after first refusing to do so, Scopas telegraphed his resignation to the mayor.

http://poundpuplegacy.org/node/43823 (NYT News clipping #2)

People v. Scopas

https://www.leagle.com/decision/196213111ny2d1201117

This New York Times Paid Obituary makes no mention of that scandal, but instead provides more uncomfortable threads to research.

https://www.nytimes.com/1999/01/12/classified/paid-notice-deaths-scopas-stephen-s-sr.html

SCOPAS-Stephen S. Sr., on January 9, 1999. Beloved husband of Cleonike (nee Andromidas). Loving father of Pamela Basedow (her husband William) and the late Stephanie Ann Scopas & Stephen Scopas Jr. Cherished grandfather of Stephen William and Stephanie Cleonike Basedow. Mr. Scopas served twelve years as a member of the Parish Council and six years as PRESIDENT of ST. NICHOLAS GREEK ORTHODOX CHURCH. He was a Past PRESIDENT of ST. BASIL’S ACADEMY and the Archdiocese Council and was honored as an Archon of the Greek Orthodox Church. Mr. Scopas served as Chairman of the First Justice for Cyprus Committee and helped build the AHEPA HOSPITAL at SALONICA and the AHEPA WING at the EVANGELISIMOS HOSPITALl in ATHENS. He was awarded the Royal Order of Phoenix by King Paul of Greece. Mr. Scopas served on a local district and national level in the Order of Ahepa having held the office of SUPREME PRESIDENT in both the AHEPA and SONS OF PERICLES. He has served as a Judge of the Crimnal Court of the City of New York and he founded the St. Paul's Society. He also served on the Professional Ethics Committee of the Queens County Bar Association. Mr. Scopas served until his death as the National Chairman of the AHEPA COOLEY’S ANEMIA FOUNDATION Reposing at the Frederick Funeral Home of Flushing Northern Blvd. at 193rd St. Visiting hours 2-5 and 7-10 PM. Funeral services will be Wednesday St. Nicholas G.O. Church at 12 noon. Interment Flushing Cemetery. In lieu of flowers donations to The Ahepa Cooley's Anemia Foundation, 1909 Q St. N.W., Suite 500 Washington, D.C. 20009.

https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/103069988/

THE CINCINNATI ENQUIRER FRIDAY, AUGUST 22, 1941 Ahepans Consider Establishment Of Counterpart Of Boys' Town

An Ahepa Convention Committee is considering a plan to establish a Greek counterpart of Father Flanagan's famous Boys Town in Nebraska. Still In the preliminary stage, the plan calls for assistance In obtaining the land a a 15,000-acre tract and construction of dormitories, a school, church, and hospital "somewhere In the United States" which would be known as the Ahepa Home Ahepa leaders said the government probably would be approached. The home would be launched on a small scale, possibly large enough to house 100 each of orphan, made available to Greek war orphans and refugees, primarily, and to orphans and poor aged persons of Greek descent, secondarily. Father of the plan is William Hells, Greek Consul at New Orleans, and wealthy oil operator. Hells, it is understood, stands ready to contribute $100,000 toward a proposed $."100,000 fund for establishment of the project for boys, orphan girls, old men, and old women. From there, the project would be permitted to grow in proportion to its ability to sustain itself. Leaders said that once the war had stopped and the project no longer was required for Greek use alone, it probably would be turned over to the government for Americans generally. It was also expected that government officials would be invited to sit on the board Immediately. The plan calls for conducting the project In a manner similar to the town of boys originated by the Catholic priest. After upon The plan calls for creation of a Greece {illegible} after the war.

AHEPA succeeded 3 years later and founded their orphanage in NY “St Basil’s Academy” http://www.stbasil.goarch.org/about_us/

Archbishop Athenagoras, of Blessed Memory, founded Saint Basil Academy in 1944 with the valuable assistance of the Greek Orthodox Ladies Philoptochos Society. On March 15, 1944, the Philoptochos purchased the 400-acre Jacob Ruppert estate in Garrison New York, on the shores of the Hudson River, overlooking West Point Academy for only $55,000. It was an era when many large estates were put on the market because of the ever-increasing property taxes. In 1976, a parcel of land encompassing 250 acres (primarily marshland) was sold to the Audobon Society. The Archbishop dreamed of establishing an orphanage or children's home ever since his arrival in the United States in 1931. The Philoptochos purchased the Ruppert estate with the proceeds of two years of the Vasilopita celebrations. The Academy, as envisioned by the late Patriarch Athenagoras, has expanded in scope to be a well equipped Residential Child Care Center, with modern dormitories, a gymnasium/auditorium, indoor swimming pool, beautiful chapel, library and all the necessary comforts of a loving home. The Academy was named for Saint Basil, who was the founder of many orphanages, hospitals, and homes for the elderly in fourth century Caesarea, Asia Minor. He is considered one of the greatest philanthropists of the Church and founder of the modern-day hospital concept.