The Los Angeles County Child Support
Services Department on Monday received the highest collection in the history of child support enforcement in the United States, Supervisor Don Knabe announced today.
The payment of $311,491 in overdue support payments was collected from a
man seeking reentry into the United States. The payment occurred when the Federal Passport Intercept Program flagged his passport as he was entering the United States from China. The full amount was routed through the Child Support Services Department and paid directly to the man’s ex-wife, who has custody of their 12-year old daughter.
The man had sold his business in Los Angeles County several years ago and fled to China with the assets from the sale. His payment included child and spousal support arrears due on his case and his
outstanding child support obligation of almost $6,000 a month.
"Rigorous enforcement of child support orders works," said Supervisor Knabe, who hailed the efforts of the Department on behalf of this family. Last year, the Department collected over $495 million in child support payments on behalf of over 500,000 families, many of whom are low-income and on public assistance.
On Monday, Supervisor Knabe directed the County to appropriate $500,000 to the Child Support Services Department to initiate a partnership with the District Attorney to increase enforcement of child support orders against parents who are the most delinquent in their child support
payments.
"For every dollar we invest in child support enforcement, we see a return of two dollars in collections that are passed directly onto the families," Knabe added. "These efforts will improve the well-being of children in our communities, and I can’t think of a better return on our investment than that."
Confirmation of this collection being the single largest payment since enforcement began in the United States came from Margot Bean, Commissioner of the Federal Office of Child Support Enforcement.