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● TRACKER Updated 22d ago · 7 sources tracked

Woman, 37, pretended to be an autistic 12 year-old girl to trick family into adopting her

Amanda Maria Souza de Oliveira has been convicted of fraud after posing as a 12-year-old autistic girl to trick a couple into adopting her. The 37-year-old woman lived with the foster family as part of the deception. Police state Oliveira targeted an evangelical church-going couple and executed similar scams throughout Brazil over several years. While some reports indicate she is currently on trial, other sources confirm a conviction has already been reached.

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⚡ Key Developments & Real-Time Context
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  • ✓ A 37-year-old woman pretended to be a 12-year-old girl to live with a foster family.
  • ✓ The woman was convicted of fraud.
  • ✓ The woman claimed to be autistic to trick a family into adopting her.
🛡️ Source Corroboration: 7 independent reporting domains (80% confidence) ⏱ Read time: ~2 min

What changed

Court proceedings have progressed to a conviction for fraud.

Live updates

  1. Woman Convicted of Fraud for Posing as 12-Year-Old Girl

    Amanda Maria Souza de Oliveira has been convicted of fraud after posing as a 12-year-old autistic girl to trick a couple into adopting her. The 37-year-old woman lived with the foster family as part of the deception. Police state Oliveira targeted an evangelical church-going couple and executed similar scams throughout Brazil over several years. While some reports indicate she is currently on trial, other sources confirm a conviction has already been reached.

    Why it matters

    The case highlights a series of calculated scams across Brazil involving the manipulation of foster care and adoption. It centers on the exploitation of a family's desire to provide a home for a child with special needs.

    What is confirmed

    • A 37-year-old woman pretended to be a 12-year-old girl to live with a foster family.
    • The woman was convicted of fraud.
    • The woman claimed to be autistic to trick a family into adopting her.

    Still unconfirmed

    • Amanda Maria Souza de Oliveira targeted an evangelical church-going couple and carried out similar scams across Brazil for years.
    • The woman is 38 years old.

    What to watch next

    • Sentencing details for the fraud conviction
    • Evidence regarding the number of other families targeted in Brazil
    Sources used for this update (7)
    1. ny1.com — Man arrested in fatal shooting of 12-year-old Bronx boy, NYPD says
    2. People.com — Woman Convicted After Posing as 12-Year-Old Girl and Living with Foster Family
    3. The Washington Post — At 37, she pretended to be 12. Now she’s on trial for fraud.
    4. The Times — She said she was 12. She was actually 38
    5. AL.com — Woman, 37, pretended to be 12-year-old to live with foster family, convicted of fraud
    6. The Independent — Woman, 37, pretended to be an autistic 12 year-old girl to trick family into adopting her
    7. www.aol.com — Woman, 37, claimed she was an autistic 12 year-old to trick family into adopting her
    confidence 80%
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