A couple from California, originally from China, is currently facing an investigation over allegations of orchestrating a surrogacy fraud scheme. This operation reportedly duped several American women and resulted in 21 young children being put in troubling circumstances.
Guojun Xuan, 65, and Sylvia Zhang, 38, were arrested on charges related to child abuse in May. They were later released on bail while investigations are ongoing. Reports indicate that their arrest followed an incident where their two-month-old son was hospitalized with a head injury, leading medical staff to suspect abuse.
Authorities claim they obtained video evidence suggesting that the couple’s children were subjected to physical and emotional mistreatment by their nannies, with indications that the couple was aware of such abuse. Footage allegedly captured a 56-year-old nanny roughly handling and hitting one of the infants.
In total, 15 children were discovered living in the couple’s large home, while six others were found at a friend’s residence. These children, aged between two months and 13 years, have since been placed in foster care.
It remains unclear how many of these children were born via surrogacy. While the couple is believed to have one biological child, they also have a 13-year-old daughter whom Xuan is thought to be the biological father of.
Surrogate mothers involved with the couple claim they were misled, believing Xuan and Zhang either had no children or just one child while actively seeking a surrogate after unsuccessful IVF attempts. They were not informed of the couple’s significant involvement with the surrogacy agency.
According to one surrogate, Kayla Elliott, she thought she was assisting a couple who was struggling to conceive, unaware that they had many other children. She’s now fighting for custody of her child and suspects there may be elements of human trafficking at play.
Another surrogate, Trondelica James, filed a lawsuit against the couple, accusing them of providing deceptive information. In her court filings, she stated that she was approached by someone named Jasmine, who portrayed the couple as desperate for a child and unable to communicate with her due to a “language barrier.”
In communications with Xuan and Zhang, James expressed her anger, stating, “You risked my life and your child’s, misled me, and possibly violated various laws.” She further added that their actions are “foul, reckless, and cruel.”
While Xuan and Zhang maintain their innocence, saying they simply wanted a large family, they are still under investigation, and no formal charges have yet been brought against them.
In the previous six months, reports suggest the couple has welcomed five more babies through surrogate mothers, adding more complexity to the troubling situation.
The Los Angeles District Attorney’s Office has confirmed that the Arcadia Police Department is continuing the investigation. Meanwhile, the FBI has opted not to comment, and various involved parties have not responded to requests for statements.
