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The American surrogate industry is currently in a roundabout, with its activities unravelling one by one. 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 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. 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?' Judy said after learning more about the intended father's reported family arrangements.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.
An in-depth investigation
Judy said she responded to a surrogacy advertisement because she hoped the arrangement would improve the financial conditions of her family and her seven-year-old daughter. The ad was posted on Instagram, offering $120,000 to become a surrogate. After being matched through Patriot Conceptions, she said she was told the intended parent was a single father. She said she asked how many other surrogates he had hired and was told the number was close to two dozen.
She later learned that Xu was reportedly working with more than 20 other surrogates at the same time.Describing what she imagined when told the intended parent wanted a large family, Judy said she was 'picturing The Sound of Music'. She questioned whether women entering surrogacy agreements should be given more information about intended parents, including their other arrangements. “It leaves me wondering: do I even have a right to know?” she said.Despite her concerns, Judy said she felt obligated to continue because she had already signed the contract and needed the income. Friends and relatives also encouraged her to move ahead with the pregnancy.An image posted on a social media account linked to Xu showed more than 100 young children seated in rows. A statement in Chinese attributed to him said that 'more children bring more blessings' and that he wanted his actions to contribute to China's long-term development.Not just fathering children, Xu reportedly hopes his kids will one day marry Elon Musk's children and create a sprawling family dynasty, as per an NYP report.
A fatherly dream?
Xu Bo is a 48-year-old wealthy recluse who founded the online gaming company Duoyi and calls himself "China's first father." He has been bent on siring at least "50 high-quality sons," according to social media posts verified as his by WSJ.Xu’s quest to build a family dynasty was reportedly inspired by Musk, who has been rumoured to offer friends and family sperm in an effort to build his bloodline, claims that the Tesla titan has denied.
On Weibo, Xu has posted fantasies of his offspring one day marrying Musk’s children, according to the Journal.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. The judge immediately called a confidential hearing, and Xu appeared over video.The billionaire told the judge he hoped to sire 20 or more U.S.-born
children, boys specifically because they are superior, to one day take over his business. Many of his children have reportedly lived in a home in Irvine, Calif., and been raised by nannies.Xu told the judge he hadn’t met them yet because work had been busy but said he planned to bring them to China soon. 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.
American surrogate industry in spotlight
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.Sperm banks in the United States sometimes use one donor’s sperm to father children at a similar rate to Xu. An Atlanta man who donated his sperm as a student at Georgia State University in 2011 was shocked to find out years later that he was the biological father of at least 97 children.The incident with Xu has now raised questions about disclosure requirements in the American surrogate industry. Attorney Melissa Brisman, who has represented surrogates and intended parents, told the investigation that there are no laws governing how many surrogates one set of intended parents can use simultaneously.
