After losing a child, Carrollton couple loses $50,000 in alleged surrogacy scam
CARRROLLTON, Texas - A North Texas couple says they lost nearly $50,000 they had saved to grow their family.
The Carrollton couple says they were victims of an alleged scam involving a Houston-based surrogacy escrow business.
Chris Tapper wears a tattoo on his right forearm depicting his son, Luca. In 2021, the 2-year-old died from a drowning accident.
"But losing a child is the absolute worst thing. No one should ever have to go through it," he said.
Chris and Erika Tapper will never be the same.
"Those wounds are still there. They are always going to be there," she said.
But the two still have love to give. However, Erika had surgery after Luca was born which prevented her from giving birth to more children. So, they turned to surrogacy.
"We didn’t skip any corners. We go get an agency. We follow all the rules," Erika said.
The Tappers signed up with Surrogacy Escrow Account Management, or SEAM, to facilitate payments to their surrogate.
But not too long after they heard the baby’s heartbeat, the couple says nearly $50,000 of their money was gone.
And then next thing you know, they’re gone," Erika said. "And now, what do we do because she’s pregnant?"
Now, SEAM owner Dominique Side is seemingly missing and so is the money belonging to hundreds of clients.
The FBI is investigating, and dozens of people are plaintiffs in a civil lawsuit.
"I mean she literally walked away over who knows how much time with everybody’s money," Chris said.
The Tappers tell their surrogate they do not know exactly how they’ll get her paid, but they promised her that she will be paid.
Several North Texas couples are part of a growing list speaking for awareness and change.
"We’re left with absolutely nothing at this point, other than thankfully we can sit here and say we have a baby on the way," Erika said.
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Jessica and Richard Climer of Frisco are one of dozens of families suing a Houston company over a surrogacy scheme. The families say the company took their money and the owner is nowhere to be found.
The Tappers know firsthand that ones turning to surrogacy usually have been through something traumatic, making it even worse knowing the type of families who claim to be victims.
"We thought we were being protected, and we were not," Erika said.
The FBI has not provided a recent update on its investigation. It told FOX 4 that it’s still looking for more potential victims.