Arielle Mitton faced a devastating blow when she discovered that $50,000 she had borrowed to pay for surrogacy had disappeared from her escrow account. She reported the alleged fraud to multiple law enforcement agencies but received no help. A lawsuit filed against Surrogacy Escrow Account Management LLC and its owner, Dominique Side, claims that millions of dollars of escrow funds meant for surrogates were misappropriated to fund a lavish lifestyle including luxury trips and designer clothing. The lawsuit alleges that Side and other defendants lured families into a fiduciary relationship to steal escrow funds for their benefit. A judge issued a temporary injunction freezing the defendants’ funds and assets, with a trial scheduled for January 2025.
The FBI is seeking potential victims of this alleged scheme, and families who belong to a private Facebook group for victims claim to have been defrauded of over $16 million. Mindy and Aaron Herstein, who are not part of the lawsuit, are $50,000 out after using SEAM’s escrow services for their surrogate. Families deposited between $31,000 and $100,000 into SEAM accounts, but their money apparently vanished, leading to legal action. Arielle Mitton, one of the victims, has set up a GoFundMe page after her monthly payments stopped and is trying to find alternative payment solutions with her surrogate.
The judge found evidence that SEAM misappropriated client funds, with Side transferring millions to fund her music career as “Dom.” The families are seeking recovery and answers as they fight to hold the defendants accountable for their deceitful actions. The lawsuit describes the defendants’ actions as “evil” and claims over 800 families have been defrauded by SEAM and its owner.
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