The Knife: Off Record – Episode 114 Summary
Release Date: June 26, 2025
Hosts: Paisha Eaton and Hannah Smith
Network: Exactly Right and iHeartPodcasts
Introduction
In Episode 114 of The Knife: A True Crime Podcast, hosts Paisha Eaton and Hannah Smith delve deep into the emotionally charged and complex world of adoption fraud. This episode, titled "Off Record," unpacks two interconnected stories that shed light on the vulnerabilities and challenges faced by prospective adoptive parents and birth mothers alike.
Story 1: Shalisha and Eric Milligan’s Encounter with Melody
Background and Adoption Journey
Shalisha and Eric Milligan, a hopeful couple eager to start their family, embarked on their adoption journey in 2020. Faced with infertility issues—Shalisha discovering blocked fallopian tubes—they explored alternative paths to parenthood, including embryo adoption and self-matching via Facebook groups to mitigate the exorbitant costs associated with traditional adoption agencies (04:15).
The Discovery of Fraud
In August 2020, after undergoing a meticulous home study process, Shalisha and Eric received a message from a 16-year-old girl named Melody in Texas, claiming to be pregnant due to abuse by her stepfather. Concerned for her safety, they contacted their lawyer to facilitate Melody's relocation to a safe house in San Antonio (05:30).
However, when Melody arrived at a medical facility in Huntsville, Alabama, under supervision, she abruptly revealed she was actually 19 years old and not pregnant. This revelation left Shalisha and Eric bewildered, as Melody had not requested any financial assistance, making the scam particularly insidious (10:22).
Impact and Aftermath
Feeling deceived and emotionally drained, Shalisha turned to a Facebook group titled "Ending Adoption Scams," only to discover others had been similarly victimized by the same individual. This collective trauma highlighted the emotional manipulation at play, where genuine hopes were exploited without financial gain (14:17).
Shalisha and Eric’s resilience paid off when they eventually matched with a legitimate birth mother and welcomed a child into their home, showcasing a rare happy ending amidst the turmoil of adoption scams (15:48).
Notable Quotes:
- Paisha Eaton [02:32]: “Both of our stories have something to do with adoption fraud, but very different kinds of stories.”
- Hannah Smith [10:24]: “It’s like, what is the end game?”
Story 2: Tara Lee’s Extensive Adoption Fraud Scheme
Background on Tara Lee and Always Hope Pregnancy Center
Tara Lee, the founder of Always Hope Pregnancy Center in Michigan (2014-2018), presented her agency as a pregnancy crisis center while covertly operating as an adoption agency. The high demand for adoption services in the U.S. often left prospective parents frustrated with lengthy waits and rejections, pushing them towards alternative, and ultimately fraudulent, options (16:52).
Modus Operandi and Victim Stories
Tara Lee exploited this desperation by charging prospective adoptive parents significant fees—approximately $20,000—under the guise of facilitating adoptions. She matched couples with fabricated birth mothers or manipulated genuine cases to ensure the adoption process would fail, thereby securing multiple fees from the same birth mother. For instance, Amber, a single woman eager to adopt, was promised a match with a pregnant teenager named Jessica. After paying Tara, Jessica ultimately never existed, revealing the scam's depth (20:42).
Another couple, Teresa and Mike Matheny, experienced a similar deceit. Rushing through the adoption process, they were introduced to a fabricated birth mother at a falsified favorite restaurant and coerced into paying additional fees shortly after. This pattern of manipulation and financial exploitation was consistent across numerous victim accounts (32:52).
Legal Consequences and Conviction
In 2020, Tara Lee was arrested and charged with multiple counts of wire fraud after an extensive investigation uncovered that she had defrauded victims of approximately $2.1 million between 2014 and 2018. Despite her conviction and a subsequent sentence of roughly ten years, Tara violated her probation terms by using a cell phone, leading to her transfer from federal prison to a halfway house in 2027. This leniency sparked outrage among victims who felt justice was insufficient given the extensive harm inflicted (43:27).
Notable Quotes:
- Hannah Smith [25:00]: “Jessica has ghosted us. I don't know what's going on.”
- Paisha Eaton [26:15]: “To safeguard against this as much as you can.”
Discussion: The Broader Implications of Adoption Fraud
Emotional and Financial Toll
Adoption fraud not only robs prospective parents of their dreams and financial resources but also inflicts deep emotional scars. Couples like Shalisha and Eric, and Amber, invest their hopes and savings into a process that can already be fraught with uncertainty and rejection. When scammers like Tara Lee exploit these vulnerabilities, the resultant trauma is magnified, leaving victims to grapple with betrayal and loss (26:26).
Legal Safeguards and Challenges
The episode underscores the complexities of regulating adoption processes to prevent fraud. While certain measures—such as mandatory counseling for birth parents—are in place, the clandestine nature of scams like Tara Lee’s makes comprehensive oversight challenging. The balance between safeguarding birth mothers' rights and protecting prospective adoptive parents from deceit remains a delicate issue (27:27).
Psychological Manipulation
Tara Lee’s ability to manipulate emotions and trust highlights the psychological dimension of fraud. Her portrayal as a caring, albeit chaotic, figure enabled her to gain the confidence of victims, making it harder for them to recognize the deceit until significant damage was done (31:04).
Notable Quotes:
- Paisha Eaton [44:22]: “You can't just snap your fingers and come up with that again.”
- Hannah Smith [38:49]: “So, you know, Teresa and Mike at this point are sitting there feeling all this intensity.”
Conclusion
Episode 114 of The Knife: A True Crime Podcast offers a poignant exploration of adoption fraud, illustrating the profound impact such schemes have on individuals and families. Through the harrowing experiences of Shalisha and Eric Milligan, Amber, and the systematic deceit orchestrated by Tara Lee, Eaton and Smith highlight the urgent need for enhanced protections and support systems within the adoption landscape. This episode serves as a crucial reminder of the human cost behind fraudulent activities and the resilience required to overcome such adversity.
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Note: The episode also briefly touches on other podcast recommendations and personal anecdotes, but these sections have been omitted to focus on the core true crime narratives.