The Ho Chi Minh City Police's Criminal Investigation Department uncovered this illegal surrogacy ring. On monday, march 25, Huynh Phuong Thao was tried by the Ho Chi Minh City People's Court on charges of organizing commercial surrogacy and using forged documents from agencies or organizations.

Nguyen Thi Ngoc Diem, Nguyen Thi Noi, and Nguyen Thi Yen, all 38, were indicted for organizing commercial surrogacy. Pham Thi Ngoc Suong, 34, was accused of using forged documents from agencies or organizations.

According to prosecutors, the group sought out infertile couples desiring children. Concurrently, they contacted women capable of carrying a pregnancy, arranged their accommodation and care, provided medical examinations, and connected them with hospitals for assisted reproductive technology. Following birth, the children were handed over to the commissioning parents.

Investigations confirmed the defendants organized surrogacy for numerous infertile couples for profit. For instance, around october 2022, Thao agreed with a couple to provide a "full package" using the IUI method for 750 million dong.

The defendants in court today. Photo: Hai Duyen

Through Yen, Thao hired a woman named Ngoc to be a surrogate for a fee of 345 million dong. Thao arranged accommodation, provided medical examinations, and facilitated sperm injection procedures at a hospital in TP HCM under the guise of Ngoc and the commissioning father being a married couple.

In august 2023, Ngoc gave birth to a baby girl. ADN results confirmed the child was biologically the husband's. However, due to the hospital's suspicion of surrogacy, a birth certificate was not issued. Thao then contacted Suong to forge a birth certificate for the baby at another hospital, which was then given to the family for birth registration. In total, Thao received 750 million dong, retaining a profit of about 95 million dong after expenses.

Similarly, in may 2023, Thao accepted another "full package" from a different couple for one billion dong. Through Diem's mediation, Thao found a surrogate and agreed to pay her 280 million dong. When the woman gave birth to twins in april 2024, Thao had received the full one billion dong. She paid the surrogate 420 million dong (due to carrying twins) and covered other costs, profiting approximately 110 million dong.

In the same case, Nguyen Thi Noi was accused of finding a surrogate for a gay man via social media, with a fee of 80 million dong. Noi also handled the procurement of a forged marriage certificate for the man and the surrogate for 2.2 million dong.

Noi found the surrogate through Diem. As per their agreement, the man directly paid the surrogate's fees and the cost of eggs. After successfully giving birth to twins, the surrogate received 374 million dong.

In court today, the defendants admitted their criminal acts, attributing them to a limited understanding of the law. During the questioning, the Judicial Council determined that further verification of the defendants' backgrounds and clarification of certain hospital-related details were necessary. Consequently, the court decided to return the case file to the People's Procuracy for additional investigation.

* Names of involved individuals have been changed