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yesterday

FBI Probes California Couple’s Mass Surrogacy Scheme as 21 Children Remain in Custody

Surrogate mothers nationwide are lodging custody claims following the FBI’s entry into the investigation of the couple’s unregulated surrogacy agency.

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The home of Silvia Zhang and Guojun Xuan is seen 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)
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Overview

  • All 21 children born through surrogacy remain under the care of Los Angeles County’s Department of Children and Family Services after being removed from the couple’s Arcadia home and other locations.
  • Silvia Zhang and Guojun Xuan were released on bail after May arrests for felony child endangerment and now face a joint Arcadia Police and FBI inquiry into their surrogacy operation.
  • An arrest warrant remains active for nanny Chunmei Li, who surveillance footage shows violently abusing a two-month-old infant.
  • Surrogate mothers in states including Texas, Florida and Pennsylvania say they were deceived by Mark Surrogacy Investment LLC and are pursuing legal custody of the children they carried.
  • Advocates warn that California’s minimal oversight and the absence of federal surrogacy regulations create vulnerabilities that can enable exploitation or trafficking.