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FBI Joins Investigation After 21 Children Seized in California Surrogacy Operation

Federal agents have stepped in following accusations of widespread nanny abuse in a private surrogacy network, with mothers now fighting to regain custody

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An aerial view shows the home of Silvia Zhang and Guojun Xuan on Wednesday, July 16, 2025, in Arcadia, Calif., where a number of children were removed from the couple's home after a child abuse allegation in May, according to Arcadia police. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

Overview

  • Arcadia police and the FBI are probing Silvia Zhang and Guojun Xuan’s alleged mass-surrogacy scheme after a 2-month-old’s head injuries triggered a May raid
  • All 21 children born to surrogate mothers remain in protective custody under the Department of Children and Family Services
  • Public records show Mark Surrogacy, registered at the couple’s Arcadia home, filed paperwork this month to dissolve the agency
  • Surrogate mothers from Texas to Pennsylvania say they were deceived into carrying embryos for the pair and have launched legal actions to recover the children they bore
  • Bioethics experts warn the case highlights serious gaps in U.S. surrogacy regulation and raises concerns over potential trafficking risks