Expectant surrogate for a defunct California firm is uncertain about the baby's future in her womb
The surrogacy agency Mark Surrogacy Investment LLC, based in California, is currently under investigation for potential surrogacy scam activities and child endangerment. The investigation was initiated following the hospitalization of an infant with a traumatic head injury in May 2025.
The agency, linked to Silvia Zhang, 38, and her husband, Guojun Xuan, 65, residents of Arcadia, California, and owners of Mark Surrogacy, is accused of misleading surrogates about the couple's family situation and intentions. Reports suggest that multiple surrogates were carrying embryos simultaneously under false pretenses.
The couple had registered Mark Surrogacy Investment LLC at their Arcadia home address until June 2025. However, police and reporters found no other verified addresses or legitimate business operations linked to the agency.
In the course of the investigation, authorities found 21 children living in a Los Angeles-area home under suspicious circumstances. The children, aged between 2 months and 13 years, have been taken into custody by California child welfare authorities from the couple’s home and other locations. Most of these children were under the legal parentage of Zhang and Xuan, although at least one or two were believed to be biologically born to Zhang.
The children are now in foster care or under protective custody. One surrogate, Kayla Elliott, who gave birth in March 2024, is fighting for custody of the child she bore, while the baby remains in foster care.
Alexa Fasold, a surrogate carrying a baby boy for Mark Surrogacy, has been in contact with the FBI and Child Protective Services. Fasold initially sought advice on Facebook and posted in surrogacy groups before being contacted by Mark Surrogacy. Fasold's contract with the agency states that she wouldn't fight for parental rights, but the new circumstances mean there's a likelihood that the baby will go into foster care.
The Arcadia Police Department has recovered video evidence showing physical and emotional abuse of some of the younger children connected to Zhang and Xuan. Authorities believe that the couple were aware of the abuse and allowed it to happen. An arrest warrant has been issued for a 56-year-old nanny in connection with the case, who is suspected of violently shaking and striking a 2-month-old baby.
The Pennsylvania Department of Human Services and the Los Angeles District Attorney's Office did not immediately respond to NBC News' request for comment. Silvia Zhang and Guojun Xuan were arrested on suspicion of felony child endangerment and neglect in May. They were released on bond as investigations continue.
The surrogacy process generally costs couples between $125,000 to $175,000, with surrogate fees ranging from $30,000 to $60,000. However, it's important to note that these figures do not pertain specifically to Fasold's case.
The Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services cannot share details about the "lives of children and families who come to their attention." Fasold, who is considering becoming a foster parent to keep her baby, is one of many affected by this ongoing investigation.
[1]: NBC News - California surrogacy agency under investigation for potential child endangerment [3]: ABC News - California surrogacy agency under investigation for child endangerment [5]: CBS News - California surrogacy agency under investigation for child endangerment
- The surrogacy agency, Mark Surrogacy Investment LLC, under investigation for child endangerment and surrogacy scam activities, is also associated with health-and-wellness, as the agency deals with the conception and delivery of children.
- The investigation into Mark Surrogacy has led to a significant mental-health issue, as multiple surrogates have been deceived, and twenty-one children have been taken into custody, impacting their overall well-being.
- The criminal case involving Silvia Zhang and Guojun Xuan, the owners of Mark Surrogacy, raises questions about general-news issues related to business operations and accountability, as their agency has no verified addresses or legitimate business operations linked to it, according to the investigation reports.
