Fair Oaks Couple Accuses Texas Firm of Misappropriating Surrogacy Funds Amidst FBI Probe
A Fair Oaks couple has accused a Texas-based company of stealing funds that were meant to pay their surrogate, as the FBI investigates the alleged malfeasance. In a painful twist to their journey toward parenthood, Christopher and Katelyn Kettmann report having paid $45,000 into an escrow account with Surrogacy Escrow Account Management (SEAM), which now appears to be lost. The couple's surrogate is 21 weeks pregnant with their much-anticipated son, but the funds meant for her care and expenses through SEAM are inaccessible.
The couple, already emotionally taxed by a long and arduous battle with infertility, have found themselves to face a new form of anguish. According to a report by ABC10, they began noticing issues in June when SEAM alerted them of payment delays. The Kettmanns were soon greeted by an unexpected "bombshell" email on June 14, stating that SEAM's operations were halted and bank accounts frozen due to an investigation.
As per a CBS13 investigation, the saga unfolded with SEAM changing bank accounts and a communication from the company's owner, Dominique Side, who cited an active federal investigation and could not provide details under advice of counsel. Responding to the crisis, the Kettmanns have now struggled to pay their surrogate, turning to a fundraiser as a stopgap measure to continue their journey into parenthood.
The case has given rise to both a lawsuit and a federal probe, with the FBI's Houston Division seeking information from potentially hundreds of affected couples. In a statement obtained by ABC10, Houston attorney Lori Hood, representing another couple in the legal fight against SEAM, has managed to trace some of the improperly allocated funds, revealing purchases of real estate in the Houston area by the company. Court documents further allege that SEAM's escrow accounts show no available funds, raising fears that the Kettmanns and possibly hundreds of others may have collectively lost millions.
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