The Associated Press

Wed, May 21, 2008 (1:22 p.m.)

Guatemala's attorney general is annuling 15 pending adoptions by U.S. couples after finding evidence of fraud or other irregularities.

Attorney General Baudilio Portillo suspended all 2,286 pending adoption cases in early May to investigate them.

So far officials have looked into 160 cases. Of those, 145 will move forward.

But the 15 babies whose cases have been annuled will be put in foster homes until a judge locates their parents. If their parents aren't found, they will be put up for adoption again.

Guatemala has been plagued by allegations of adoption fraud, including allegations that babies are stolen from their birth parents or even sold by desperate mothers. But a new law is aimed at improving the process.