Arkansas § 5-37-216 - Defrauding a prospective adoptive parent.

§ 5-37-216. Defrauding a prospective adoptive parent.

As used in this section: “Aggregate financial benefit” means the total financial benefit received by a person preceding, during, and after the pregnancy of the person; “Financial benefit” means any cost for prenatal, delivery, or postnatal care, including without limitation reasonable costs for: Housing; Food; Clothing; Medical expenses; or General maintenance; and “Prospective adoptive parent” means a person who through his or her actions has a stated or unstated intention to begin the process of adopting a minor, whether or not the minor is known to him or her. A person commits the offense of defrauding a prospective adoptive parent if he or she: Knowingly obtains a financial benefit from a prospective adoptive parent or from an agent of a prospective adoptive parent with a purpose to defraud the prospective adoptive parent or the agent of the prospective adoptive parent of the financial benefit; and Does not: Consent to the adoption; or Complete the adoption process. Defrauding a prospective adoptive parent is a: Class B felony if: The aggregate financial benefit is two thousand five hundred dollars ($2,500) or more; or The person has previously been convicted under this section; Class C felony if the aggregate financial benefit is five hundred dollars ($500) or more but less than two thousand five hundred dollars ($2,500); or Class A misdemeanor if the aggregate financial benefit is less than five hundred dollars ($500).