An outgoing voicemail message from Surrogacy Escrow Account Management said the owner would not comment because of the ongoing federal investigation.
FRISCO, Texas — The owner of a well-established company used by prospective parents and surrogate mothers stole more than $10 million for his own personal use, according to court documents filed in Harris County.
Surrogacy Escrow Account Management, known as SEAM, was designed to provide intended parents with an account to hold payments to the surrogate mother and medical expenses.
The lawyers claim SEAM’s owner, Dominic Syed, stole the money and used it to “fund his music career as ‘Dom,’ a racy rap and R&B singer and music producer.”
According to documents filed in Harris County, Syed used money meant for his family to travel the world, buy designer clothes, luxury cars, real estate, music students and memberships to the exclusive Soho House club.
“When you hear what they’ve lost, it’s much more than money,” said Marianne Robach, an attorney for more than a dozen people who say Syed stole money from them. “Their hopes have been lost, their futures have been lost, their families have been lost, and it’s very devastating.”
Robach said Syed has missed multiple court appearances, including a restraining order hearing on Wednesday in which a Houston judge extended the suspension of her accounts.
She did not respond to requests for comment, but a voicemail message at her Houston-based company said her lawyers had advised her not to respond to inquiries while under federal investigation.
The FBI has set up a website to collect tips from people who believe their money has been stolen.
“It’s just devastating that we were so close to having a family and having everything ruined by something like this,” said Katie Lynch, who said she was lucky to only have $6,000 left in her SEAM account.
Other families lost tens of thousands of dollars. Ms. Robach, the lawyer, said her team’s forensic records uncovered more than $10 million in funds.
Her friend, Vicky Ursi, acted as a surrogate and gave birth to a healthy baby boy about two months ago.
“I don’t think there’s any money being returned to a lot of families,” she said. “I think the money’s gone.”
