Nationwide — Tronderrica James, a 30-year-old African American surrogate mother from Nevada, says she was misled into carrying a baby for a Chinese couple now linked to more than 20 surrogate-born children. She is suing after authorities removed the children amid abuse and fraud investigations.
James says she believed she was helping a couple who wanted a family. Instead, she claims she was pulled into a complex surrogacy arrangement that hid key facts about who the parents were and how many children they already had.
According to the New York Post, James was contacted through a Facebook surrogacy group by a woman named “Jasmine,” who presented herself as a representative for the intended parents. James was told the couple lived in Los Angeles, had one or no children, and could not communicate directly because of a language barrier.
James later learned the couple was Guojun Xuan, 65, and Silvia Zhang, 38. Court filings say they secretly controlled two surrogacy agencies, Mark Surrogacy and Future Spring Surrogacy, which were used to recruit surrogate mothers across the country.
“What you did… is foul, reckless and cruel,” James wrote in an August 2025 email cited in court records. “Tell me the truth about what happened to the baby I carried — the baby you named Poppy.”
Her case surfaced after police removed 21 children from Xuan and Zhang’s care in Arcadia, California. Authorities say 15 children under the age of 3 were found inside the couple’s nine-bedroom home, while others were located in nearby residences. The action followed hospital reports involving a 2-month-old baby who suffered serious injuries later attributed to a nanny.
Xuan and Zhang were arrested last May on suspicion of child abuse and neglect and later released on bond. No criminal charges have been filed, but child welfare investigations continue across several states.
Other surrogates have since come forward with similar claims. Some say they only learned about the investigation late in their pregnancies or after giving birth. Several are now seeking custody of the children they carried, while Xuan and Zhang have filed lawsuits against surrogates who cut off contact before delivery.
James and her husband are seeking up to $100 million in damages, accusing the couple of fraud, breach of contract, and emotional distress. Xuan and Zhang have denied any wrongdoing in court filings and could not be reached for comment.