Mother Fights for Her Kids as State Funnels Them Into Foster Care for Profit in Family Court Horror
By Richard Luthmann
Portland’s family court system is under fire for allowing a rogue social worker, Steven Jackson, to manipulate evidence and funnel children into foster care—potentially for financial incentives linked to Title IV-D and Title IV-E funding.
Journalists Michael Volpe and Richard Luthmann exposed the Family Court Horror on The Unknown Podcast, detailing the nightmare unfolding for protective mother Martina Flanigan and her children.
“This guy Jackson is a bounty hunter for the state,” Luthmann said. “His pattern is clear: he declares both parents unfit and dumps the kids into foster care, where the state gets paid.”
According to Luthmann, it’s like the children are getting “robbed” from their parents to feed a federally-funded foster care system laden with waste, fraud, abuse, incompetence, and spite.
Fabricated Reports, Intimidation, and a Corrupt System
Flanigan’s case follows a disturbing trend. Despite the children’s detailed and consistent claims of abuse, Jackson declared their mother unfit and ensured they were placed in state custody.
Now, the children languish in foster care, terrified they will be returned to their abusive father.
The Foundation for the Child Victims of the Family Courts (FCVFC.org) and its Director, Dr. Jill Jones Soderman, has taken up Flanigan’s case.
“The cruelty evidenced by Mr. Jackson is inexcusable,” Soderman stated. “He is actively suppressing evidence, threatening witnesses, and coercing the system to keep these children from their protective mother.”
Jackson allegedly intimidated the Flanigan family’s neighbors, prowling their neighborhood day and night.
“This is not the behavior of a social worker,” Luthmann said. “He’s a thug with a state badge.”
Follow the Money: How Title IV-D and IV-E Incentivize Kidnapping
The driving force behind these removals is money. Under federal law, Title IV-D provides states with funds for child support enforcement, while Title IV-E rewards the placement of children into foster care. The more children taken from their parents, the more money flows into state agencies.
Volpe broke it down: “Through the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act, the Adoption and Safe Families Act, and Title IV-D, B, and E, the federal government pays states when they remove children. This is a business, and guys like Jackson are running up the numbers.”
Luthmann agreed. “We need to follow the money. What’s happening in Portland is systemic. These agencies are hooked on federal cash, and the easiest way to keep the dollars flowing is to rip kids away from their families.”
DOGE Can Expose the Corruption in Family Court Horror
The U.S. Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE.gov) is investigating federal waste, fraud, and abuse across multiple sectors. But so far, family courts have flown under the radar—despite being one of the largest drains on federal funds.
“These programs were meant to protect children, but instead, they’ve become a piggy bank for bloated state budgets,” Luthmann said. “The federal government is effectively underwriting family court corruption.”
Volpe agreed: “These state courts wouldn’t function without federal money. Title IV-D and IV-E have turned into slush funds, plugging holes in state budgets instead of helping kids.”
DOGE could crack down on this fraud almost overnight.
“If DOGE had its data teams run the numbers, they’d find the outliers in a matter of minutes,” Luthmann said. “A handful of counties are draining a disproportionate amount of Title IV-D and IV-E funding. That’s where the corruption is.”
Elon Musk’s Tech Could Track the Fraud
The technology exists to expose this problem, and experts say it wouldn’t take long.
“You get some of these Elon Musk software guys, and in 30 minutes, they could write a script that pinpoints the worst offenders,” Luthmann said.
State agencies that abuse Title IV funding would be exposed, and watchdog groups could then push for accountability.
“DOGE should release that data to the public,” Luthmann added. “Once the fraud is visible, the pressure to fix it will be unstoppable.”
Volpe liked the plan.
“You start with the counties taking the most money per capita. Find out why they’re getting more than similar jurisdictions,” Luthmann said. “You’ll see a pattern of judges, social workers, and agencies exploiting federal funds to keep their budgets afloat.”
Pattern of Abuse: Steven Jackson’s Track Record of Destroying Families
Flanigan is not Jackson’s only victim.
“This guy has an outrageous number of cases where he finds that children ‘belong’ in foster care,” Luthmann said. “It’s not about safety—it’s about the budget.”
Evidence suggests Jackson has ignored reports of abuse and tampered with testimony.
“The children in this case have been clear,” Soderman stated. “They have repeatedly told authorities about the abuse they suffered at the hands of their father. Instead of protecting them, Jackson turned the case against their mother.”
The Portland scandal is part of a much larger problem. Luthmann and Volpe discussed how state courts are using federal funding as a slush fund.
“These courts wouldn’t function without this money,” Luthmann explained. “They have bloated budgets, bloated departments, and they milk Title IV-D and IV-E for all they’re worth.”
Volpe agreed that the first step is tracking which counties are taking the most federal money.
“We could get a software engineer to pull that data in an afternoon. Start there, and you’ll find the fraud,” Luthmann said.
Calls for Investigation and Criminal Charges in Family Court Horror
Family Court watchdog group, the Foundation for the Child Victims of the Family Courts (FCVFC.org), has formally filed a complaint against Jackson, citing misconduct, intimidation, and possible fraud. They are demanding his immediate suspension and a full investigation into the Portland family court system.
“This is criminal,” Soderman declared. “We are demanding that Jackson be removed from his position, that these children be returned to their mother, and that the entire system be investigated for financial corruption.”
The call for accountability is growing. Advocates are urging DOGE to probe Title IV-D and IV-E funding abuses, tracking how much money is flowing into states like Oregon.
“We need the Justice Department to go after these people,” Luthmann said. “Turn them loose on Portland’s family court, and I guarantee you’ll find fraud on a massive scale.”
A Broken System That Must Be Fixed
The fight for Flanigan’s children is far from over.
“Martina is a loving mother fighting against a corrupt system,” Soderman said. “She shouldn’t have to battle government-sanctioned kidnappers to get her kids back.”
Meanwhile, the children remain in foster care, held hostage by a system that profits from their suffering.
“This is state-sponsored child trafficking,” Soderman said. “It’s disgusting, and it needs to stop.”
The question remains: Will Oregon officials act to stop this abuse, or will they continue to protect their own?
