Adventures of a Gringa: The Goldman Files

Here, you can find past posts about the Goldman kidnapping case to get a general overview of what has happened. For more information, please see the Bring Sean Home website.

FACT: Sean Goldman, an American citizen, was abducted from New Jersey on June 16th, 2004 by his Brazilian-born mother, Bruna Goldman. When she arrived in Brazil, she called her husband, American David Goldman, to inform him she was divorcing and was never returning to the US. She told him if he wanted to see his son again, he would have to play by her rules. David then began the legal process to get his son back through the Hague Convention. Bruna, meanwhile, got a unilateral divorce (not valid in the US) with the help of her new lawyer, JPLeS. He is a well-known family lawyer who defends parents whose children have been kidnapped. Bruna married her divorce lawyer shortly after and got pregnant. However, Bruna died during childbirth, though her baby survived. JPLeS then issued a new birth certificate for Sean, essentially erasing his real father's name. David continued the legal fight to get his son, which seemed clear cut now that Sean's mother had passed. David was granted visitation rights to see Sean under the care of his current abductor, JPLeS, in October 2008. However, when David showed up for the visitation, there was no one home: JPLeS had kidnapped Sean and fled the city. The police didn't go after him. Later that week, JPLeS entered a suit suing David for slander and using Sean's name in public. The courts then issued a new ruling in December 2008: a "mediation hearing" between David and JPLeS would be held in February 2009. David was able to visit his son for the first time in four years after this "hearing." It wasn't until June 2009, thought, that a Rio court ruled to send Sean home. But the decision was appealed, and Sean remained in Brazil. An appeals court ruled to send Sean home in December 2009, and after a bogus appeal to the highest court by Sean's grandmother, a Supreme Court justice ruled to send Sean home. Sean returned to the United States on December 24, 2009, nearly a year and a half after his mother's death and five years after his abduction.

THEORY: Bruna, a spoiled and wealthy Carioca, grew tired of her "dull" and "humble" American life and wanted to go back to being a tropical princess in Rio, where she had rich, well-connected friends. Her parents agreed, and pressured her to abduct Sean and bring him to Rio where he could live "the good life." She married JPLeS because he fit the bill for her type of husband: rich, powerful, and did I mention rich? Like some wealthy Brazilians, both Bruna and JPLeS didn't feel that the law applied to them, but that they were above the law. JPLeS and his father come from a very famous and wealthy family, who no one ever says "no" to, the kind of family who always calls the shots. After this, though, time will tell how much political power they have left.

Goldman Case Posts:

Finally, December 24, 2009

Big wheel keep on turning, December 23, 2009

The Beginning of the End, December 22, 2009

Scratch that, December 22, 2009

Turning Point, December 21, 2009

House of Cards, December 18, 2009

Cautiously optimist ic, December 16, 2009

Video Salada, December 3, 2009

Reader's Suggestions, November 17, 2009

No News is Bad News, September 28, 2009

Brazil News Briefs, August 1, 2009