Peter McDonald

Yeah, no intentions at all. But the adoption paperwork couldn't be signed for three days, and they needed sleep. The Mathinis went back to their rental house and crashed. In the morning, they rushed back to the hospital. Baby S was still in the NICU, and Tara Lee was still sitting right next to Stephanie in her recovery room.

Yeah, no intentions at all. But the adoption paperwork couldn't be signed for three days, and they needed sleep. The Mathinis went back to their rental house and crashed. In the morning, they rushed back to the hospital. Baby S was still in the NICU, and Tara Lee was still sitting right next to Stephanie in her recovery room.

Yeah, no intentions at all. But the adoption paperwork couldn't be signed for three days, and they needed sleep. The Mathinis went back to their rental house and crashed. In the morning, they rushed back to the hospital. Baby S was still in the NICU, and Tara Lee was still sitting right next to Stephanie in her recovery room.

Later that morning, the lawyers, Talia Getting and Tanya Corrado, surreptitiously arrived. They messaged the Mathinis to meet them on another floor where they could talk in secret. When they were all out of Tara Lee's earshot, the lawyers said the FBI's investigation was very serious, and this might be Tara Lee's last adoption.

Later that morning, the lawyers, Talia Getting and Tanya Corrado, surreptitiously arrived. They messaged the Mathinis to meet them on another floor where they could talk in secret. When they were all out of Tara Lee's earshot, the lawyers said the FBI's investigation was very serious, and this might be Tara Lee's last adoption.

Later that morning, the lawyers, Talia Getting and Tanya Corrado, surreptitiously arrived. They messaged the Mathinis to meet them on another floor where they could talk in secret. When they were all out of Tara Lee's earshot, the lawyers said the FBI's investigation was very serious, and this might be Tara Lee's last adoption.

They gave the Mathienes the phone number for FBI Special Agent Matt Sluss.

They gave the Mathienes the phone number for FBI Special Agent Matt Sluss.

They gave the Mathienes the phone number for FBI Special Agent Matt Sluss.

He had his first conversation with the FBI. Last summer, I reached out to the FBI to ask if they'd speak with me about their investigation into Tara Lee. They don't always talk to reporters, but this case was very important to them. Special Agent Matt Sluss is thin, with a neat beard, and talks in a thoughtful and precise way.

He had his first conversation with the FBI. Last summer, I reached out to the FBI to ask if they'd speak with me about their investigation into Tara Lee. They don't always talk to reporters, but this case was very important to them. Special Agent Matt Sluss is thin, with a neat beard, and talks in a thoughtful and precise way.

He had his first conversation with the FBI. Last summer, I reached out to the FBI to ask if they'd speak with me about their investigation into Tara Lee. They don't always talk to reporters, but this case was very important to them. Special Agent Matt Sluss is thin, with a neat beard, and talks in a thoughtful and precise way.

In 2018, he was a newish agent working white-collar crime, and he said when he got this case, he knew nothing about how adoption works.

In 2018, he was a newish agent working white-collar crime, and he said when he got this case, he knew nothing about how adoption works.

In 2018, he was a newish agent working white-collar crime, and he said when he got this case, he knew nothing about how adoption works.

They wouldn't tell me who tipped them off, though. They don't want to discourage people from reporting crimes to the FBI. Regardless, someone told them that Tara Lee was taking money for an adoption that was designed to fail. The FBI had never come across a case like it. The first person to review it was Supervisory Special Agent Mark Krieg.

They wouldn't tell me who tipped them off, though. They don't want to discourage people from reporting crimes to the FBI. Regardless, someone told them that Tara Lee was taking money for an adoption that was designed to fail. The FBI had never come across a case like it. The first person to review it was Supervisory Special Agent Mark Krieg.

They wouldn't tell me who tipped them off, though. They don't want to discourage people from reporting crimes to the FBI. Regardless, someone told them that Tara Lee was taking money for an adoption that was designed to fail. The FBI had never come across a case like it. The first person to review it was Supervisory Special Agent Mark Krieg.

As Agent Krieg chewed it over in the office, Agent Sless came in.

As Agent Krieg chewed it over in the office, Agent Sless came in.