A Chinese billionaire has reportedly fathered more than 100 children through surrogacy in the United States, with the case raising questions about birthright citizenship and the regulation of the US surrogacy industry.
Xu Bo, founder of Chinese gaming company Duoyi Network, came under renewed scrutiny after a California surrogate, identified as Judy, said she was told she was carrying a baby for a single father who wanted a large family.
Judy, who was reportedly offered $120,000 for the surrogacy, said she later discovered through CBS News that leaked documents identified Xu as the intended father. She said she had repeatedly asked to meet the intended father but was never allowed to do so.
Xu’s reported number of children varies significantly. His former partner has claimed he has as many as 300 children, while Xu has disputed larger figures. His company previously acknowledged that he had “a little over 100” children through US surrogacy, while Xu has more recently said he has custody of 12 children born through surrogacy in the US.
A 2025 Wall Street Journal investigation also reported that some US surrogacy agencies openly marketed American citizenship as a benefit to prospective foreign parents, while raising concerns about the lightly regulated industry.
The children born in the US would generally acquire American citizenship at birth under the long-standing interpretation of the 14th Amendment.