Ukrainian student lied about his age to adopt him in the United States

But in the end, he was imprisoned after the denunciation of foster parents: GQ

A native of the Ukrainian city of New Kakhovka, a student of Kherson State University Arthur Samarin arrived in the USA in the summer of 2012 under the Work and Travel program. He stopped in the city of Harrisberg (Pennsylvania) and got a job at the Red Robin network restaurant-frying potatoes there, received $ 9.5 per hour. Samarin quickly realized that he wanted to stay in the United States, and began to look for methods of legalization, since the visa issued to him on Work and Travel expired a few months later.

In Harrisberg, Samarin met with a childless married couple - Stefani and Michael Pottsami. According to Arthur (it is reliably unknown who actually came up with this plan), the Flots said that he could stay in the USA if they adopt it - but for this the guy must underestimate his real age, because American laws prohibit adoption of adults. So 19-year-old Arthur Samarin became 14-year-old Asher Potts. In September 2012, he entered the Harrisberg school, which allowed his adoptive parents to receive state benefits.

At school, the appearance of a new student did not arouse suspicion. Samarin answered questions about his accent that he had grown in the Russian-Jewish district; Those who asked why he changed his name (Samarin began the school year under his real name), the guy said jokingly: "I am a Russian spy." He studied well, participated in public life (for example, taught children to swim like a volunteer of the “Youth Christian Association” ) and became one of the most noticeable students of his school. In 2014, when Samarina was admitted to the National Society of Honor , the Congressman from Pennsylvanny Patti Kim handed him a certificate of entry.

Samarin dreamed of studying aerospace engineering, then get a doctor of science and work in NASA. But in February 2016, three months before graduation, he was arrested right during the lesson. Samarin police were handed over for foster parents. Arthur claims that this happened after he escaped from the house. According to the young man, the Potts forced him to sleep on the couch in the dressing room and do all his homework; If he could not cope with her, the foster parents allegedly threatened to give him out to the migration service and even could hit him. However, the Potts told the police a different version - supposedly they did not know the real age of Samarin at the time of adoption, he grew up cruel, threatened them and planned to arrange shooting at his school.

Potts accusations were not confirmed; Nevertheless, in the fall of 2016, the young man was convicted of falsification of documents and seduction of a minor. Samarin received two months in prison for enjoying the driver’s rights and a social insurance card in the name of Asher Potts, and from 11.5 to 23 months-for meeting at school with a 15-year-old girl. “I made a big mistake trying to fulfill my American dream,” Samarin said in his last word.

Arthur's adoptive parents later appeared before the court: Michael Potts was sentenced to two years conditionally, his wife Stephanie - to five months of prison. They both found them guilty of forgery and covering the illegal immigrant, but Stephanie’s punishment was more strict, since she had previously been accused of fraud and theft.

Samarin spent 14 months in American prisons, and in 2017 he was deported to Ukraine. At the Kiev airport, his mother met him ( according to the Ukrainian media, she and Samarin's father are divorced). The first time after the return, Samarin believed that the American justice system treated him too cruelly. He even hinted that he would have enough technical skills to support the alleged Russian intervention in the American elections. However, he later stated that at that moment he was simply very angry with the US government. “I wanted Putin to come and arrange [they] chaos,” said Samarin GQ.

After returning to his homeland, Arthur Samarin recovered at the Kherson State University - the university in which he studied before leaving for the United States. He understands that, most likely, he will never be able to come to the United States again, but continues to keep in touch with American friends. They did not stop writing to him - and sometimes even send him money. An average of $ 100 per month is more than the Samarin scholarship in Kherson.

“Everything was so cool, Mr. Daniel [Rili, the author of GQ], but take a look at me now ... This is not the worst place, and wonderful people surround me, but there are no possibilities ... It's like the UK before the industrial revolution. A dirty place where people throw slop out of the windows. Here is the same thinking, ”said [Arthur Samarin]. “There are no possibilities, there is no money, there is no place where you can realize yourself. And I do not want to be just ... Coal does not want to be coal, he wants to be a diamond ”(English.).

GQ

Olga Korelina