One surrogate in the country tried five times to meet the intended father of the baby she was carrying, only to learn that he was Chinese billionaire and video game executive Xu Bo, who has been reported to have more than 100 children through US surrogacy arrangements, as per an IBT report. The American surrogate industry is currently in a roundabout, with its activities unravelling one by one.
The woman, referred to as ‘Judy’ to protect her identity, was 12 weeks pregnant when CBS News informed her that documents identified Xu as the intended father. The number of children Xu has is disputed, with his former partner Tang Jing alleging he could have as many as 300, while Xu says he has custody of 12 children born through surrogacy in US. In the summer of 2023, a judge in California handled petitions from Xu to gain parental rights for four unborn children, as well as at least eight other children who he paid for through surrogates.
Judy said after learning more about the intended father’s reported family arrangements.
She had been told she was carrying a child for a single father who wanted a ‘big family’. ‘It leaves me wondering: do I even have a right to know? The judge immediately called a confidential hearing, and Xu appeared over video.
Because they are superior, to one day take over his business, the billionaire told the judge he hoped to sire 20 or more U.S.-born children, boys specifically. Because work had been busy but said he planned to bring them to China soon, xu told the judge he hadn’t met them yet. The judge rejected his petition for parental rights, leaving the unborn children in legal limbo and exposing an insane industry of surrogacy companies helping wealthy Chinese businessmen have American-born children, the Journal reported.
Many of his children have reportedly lived in a home in Irvine, Calif., and been raised by nannies.
A wider investigation involved interviews with 32 surrogates and a review of contracts and court documents.
It found examples of intended parents using several surrogates simultaneously, with some women saying they were not told about the scale of those arrangements.