Cross-Border Surrogacy Scrutiny
American surrogate raises ethical questions after discovering she is carrying a child for gaming executive Xu Bo
Anonymous
Key Points
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Judy said she was 12 weeks pregnant when CBS News informed her that leaked documents identified Xu Bo as the intended father. She questioned whether surrogates have a right to know more about an intended parent’s identity and other surrogacy arrangements.
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Judy said she responded to an Instagram advertisement because, as a single mother raising a seven-year-old daughter, she hoped the $120,000 payment would help her buy a home and improve her family’s financial situation.
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Although she became concerned after learning that many other women were carrying children for the same man, Judy said she continued the pregnancy because she had already signed a contract and needed the income; friends and relatives also encouraged her to proceed.
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CBS News interviewed 32 surrogates as part of its investigation into Xu Bo, underscoring that Judy’s account was one of multiple surrogate experiences examined by the network.
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The Justice Department said people seeking to exploit citizenship laws through arrangements of this kind pose a national-security threat, warning that such actors “will be brought to justice.” The investigation also cited 59,246 assisted-reproductive-technology cycles performed in the United States from 2014 to 2022 for non-U.S. residents from 182 countries.
A California surrogate named Judy discovered at 12 weeks pregnant that she was carrying a child for Chinese gaming executive Xu Bo — a revelation made by CBS News rather than her surrogacy agency. Patriot Conceptions had described him only as a single father seeking to expand his family, offered her $120,000, and never disclosed that dozens of other women were simultaneously carrying his children.
Leaked documents and reports now link Xu to more than 100 U.S.-born children, though a former partner claims the number could reach 300. Xu acknowledges custody of 12 children born through U.S. surrogacy but disputes the larger figures, saying his effort to have many children brings "more blessings" and serves China's long-term development. The case has sparked urgent questions about surrogacy agency transparency, birthright citizenship, and potential national security risks.
A Surrogate Left in the Dark About Her Client
Judy responded to an Instagram advertisement hoping the $120,000 payment would help her buy a home. As a single mother raising a seven-year-old daughter, she saw the surrogacy as a financial lifeline. Patriot Conceptions told her the intended father was simply a wealthy single man wanting to grow his family — nothing more.
The shock came when CBS News reporters reached out and revealed they had connected her pregnancy to Xu Bo. Only then did Judy learn that leaked documents showed Xu had hired nearly two dozen other surrogates — and possibly far more. She said she repeatedly tried to meet the intended father but was never able to do so.
Surrogates Stay Silent Despite Doubts About the Arrangement
After learning the true scope of Xu's surrogacy efforts, Judy felt trapped. She had already signed a contract and needed the income desperately. Friends and relatives urged her to continue the pregnancy rather than walk away. Many other surrogates CBS News interviewed — 32 in total — shared similar stories of unease but felt bound by contract and financial pressure.
The case raises a hard question: Do surrogates have the right to know the identity of their clients and how many other pregnancies are underway? Patriot Conceptions and similar agencies operate with minimal disclosure requirements, leaving women like Judy uninformed about arrangements that will shape their medical care and emotional experience for nine months.
Xu's Network of Children and Claims About National Security
Xu Bo has publicly defended his large family as beneficial. He has stated that having many children brings "more blessings" and contributes to China's long-term development. Daily Mail and other outlets reported figures ranging from more than 100 to as many as 300 children, though Xu disputes numbers above 12. The discrepancy underscores how little is actually known about the full scale of his surrogacy arrangements.
The Justice Department has flagged cross-border surrogacy as a potential national security threat, warning that foreign nationals may exploit U.S. birthright citizenship laws. Officials stated that people attempting this kind of exploitation "will be brought to justice." Federal data shows that from 2014 to 2022, 59,246 assisted-reproductive-technology cycles were performed in the U.S. for non-residents from 182 countries — a pipeline that regulators say requires urgent oversight.
A Broken System Puts Surrogates and Citizenship at Risk
The Xu Bo case exposes how little protects American surrogates or regulates surrogacy agencies. Patriot Conceptions faces no apparent penalty for misleading Judy about the scope and nature of the arrangement. Agencies routinely withhold information from surrogates — a practice that agencies argue protects client privacy but leaves women vulnerable to ethical and medical risks.
U.S. officials are now scrutinizing whether foreign nationals are systematically using American surrogacy and birthright citizenship as part of a coordinated strategy. The scale of Xu's efforts — with claims ranging from 12 to 300 children — suggests this is no longer an isolated case. Lawmakers and regulators are under pressure to tighten rules on surrogate disclosure, agency accountability, and eligibility for citizenship.
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