US Surrogacy Industry Exposed: Secret Multiple Pregnancies and Billionaire Cases
A CBS News investigation exposed major loopholes in the US surrogacy industry, highlighting undocumented surrogates, deceptive multiple contracts, and Chinese billionaire Xu Bo fathering over 100 children. The controversy intersects with the ongoing national debate over birthright citizenship.
A year-long investigation published by CBS News has exposed severe regulatory loopholes in the American surrogacy industry, revealing a system where vulnerable women are recruited via social media, promised payments that are sometimes delayed or withheld, and intended parents contract with multiple surrogates simultaneously without their knowledge. With an estimated 10,000 surrogate births annually in the United States, no federal agency tracks these parallel procedures, and only a few states maintain formal registries.
Among those affected is Andrea, an undocumented Honduran immigrant and single mother of two living in California, who responded to an Instagram advertisement. Before signing the contract, she asked for a video call with the intended parents. Although she was introduced to a young couple, an entirely different elderly couple appeared at the hospital following the birth in October 2024. Fearing her immigration status would be exposed and still awaiting full payment, she handed the child over. She reported receiving roughly $40,000 for the surrogacy.
Months later, Mayra Arley Hernandez gave birth to twins for the same couple, completely unaware of the concurrent pregnancy. "They wanted the process to be fast and everything to remain private," she said. The CEO of the surrogacy agency dismissed the allegations, asserting that she conducts proper introductory calls and maintains communication between parties throughout the pregnancy.
The most extreme case uncovered involves Xu Bo, a Chinese billionaire and prominent video game executive. "Judy," a single mother of a seven-year-old, responded to an ad offering $120,000 to a surrogate. Only after signing the contract was she informed that the intended father had already contracted surrogacy services with nearly 25 women simultaneously. "I thought to myself: That's a lot. That's a lot of children at once," she remarked.
Documents obtained by CBS News identified the father as the Chinese billionaire. Reports indicate he has fathered more than 100 children born to surrogates in the US, who acquired American citizenship at birth under the Constitution. A former partner claimed in custody proceedings that his total offspring could reach 300. Xu contested the figures, stating that he currently has custody of 12 children born via US surrogacy. He recently published a photo showing over 100 children seated in rows, later remarking that he believes "more children bring more blessings" and that his actions contribute to the "long-term development of the Chinese nation."
Judy stated she attempted at least five times to meet Xu, to no avail. "The agency should have been transparent even before the matching process regarding the person you are carrying the child for and the family," she said. "Do I even have the right to know?" Xu and his representatives did not respond to inquiries.
In a separate case, Sylvia Zhang and Guojun Xuan from California were arrested in July 2025 on suspicion of endangering the welfare of children after bringing at least 25 children into the world via surrogates. Authorities removed 21 children from their home, and at least five additional infants born after the arrests were taken into protective custody. All 17 surrogates interviewed by CBS News stated they had no idea the couple was building a family on such a massive scale. Maria Castellanos recounted that after one birth, Zhang arrived at the hospital only the following day. "So who are we handing the baby to?" one of the nurses reportedly asked. The couple denied any wrongdoing, claiming they simply wanted a large family.
Attorney Melissa Brisman noted that managing 20 surrogacy procedures simultaneously across different states without the women's knowledge is considered "completely unethical" though not strictly illegal. According to Brisman, New York remains the only state that requires surrogacy agencies to hold specific licenses. "In most states, you can open an agency with $300 and an LLC registration certificate," she said.
Andrea initially agreed to a prominent interview with CBS News regarding the vulnerability of undocumented surrogates, but canceled minutes before recording. "I can't," she wrote. "I'm too afraid."
The controversy intertwines with the broader American debate over birthright citizenship, a constitutional right anchored in the 14th Amendment. Donald Trump has campaigned against the policy for over a decade. On January 20, the first day of his second term, he attempted to restrict birthright citizenship via executive order, arguing before the Supreme Court that the right was intended "for the babies of slaves, not for Chinese billionaires who have 56 children, all of whom 'become' American citizens." He branded the practice "one of the great scams of our time."
On June 30, the Supreme Court struck down the executive order in a 6-3 ruling, affirming that children born in the United States to undocumented immigrants or temporary residents remain entitled to citizenship. Donald Trump reacted cynically on his social media platform, Truth Social: "I would like to congratulate President Xi and great China on their massive win on the birthright citizenship issue!"
