LOS ANGELES, United States — A wealthy California couple accused of repeatedly abusing children born largely through surrogacy at their mansion have pleaded not guilty to criminal charges.
Guojun Xuan, 66, and his wife, Silvia Zhang, 39, are accused of conspiring to abuse 15 children at their residence in Arcadia, northeast of Los Angeles.
The couple had 21 children, most of whom were born through surrogate mothers.
Prosecutors are investigating allegations that the couple encouraged nannies to beat the children and watched the abuse through surveillance cameras.
Los Angeles County prosecutors said surveillance recordings showed nannies repeatedly striking children, some as young as two months old, while the couple allegedly watched, laughed, and, in Xuan’s case, sometimes participated in the violence.
The allegations emerged from a 17-month child abuse investigation that began after a two-month-old boy was admitted to hospital with serious head injuries in May 2025.
Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman described the case as unprecedented, citing the number of young children allegedly subjected to abuse.
“This case is unprecedented. It is horrific,” Hochman said during a news conference announcing the charges.
The couple were arrested on October 6 and appeared before a court in Pasadena, where they denied the allegations.
A bail review hearing scheduled for Monday, October 12, 2026, was postponed until Friday. Both defendants remained in custody, with bail set at $20 million each.
Surveillance Cameras Allegedly Captured Repeated Beatings
According to a statement from the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office, investigators recovered footage from more than 30 surveillance cameras installed throughout the couple’s mansion.
The children were supervised by live-in nannies and spent several hours each day in three rooms designated as learning centres.
Prosecutors allege that the surveillance system allowed Xuan and Zhang to monitor the children’s treatment from elsewhere in the house.
Recordings made between April 27 and May 7, 2025, allegedly showed several nannies slapping, spanking, and striking children.
In one incident, prosecutors said, a nanny hit a child with a shoe while Zhang and another nanny laughed as they watched the footage.
In another, Xuan allegedly entered one of the learning rooms and told a nanny to hit a child harder.
He then allegedly struck the child repeatedly, including blows to the head, and lifted the child by one arm while continuing the assault.
Investigators also identified a room without surveillance cameras. Prosecutors said recordings captured nannies taking children into the room, followed by sounds of screaming.
Authorities further alleged that the adults were instructed to discipline the children in ways that would not leave visible injuries.
The recordings form a central part of the prosecution’s case.
Infant’s Injuries Led Police to Mansion
The investigation began when a two-month-old boy was taken to hospital with a traumatic head injury.
Doctors discovered bleeding in his brain and questioned the explanation provided by Zhang, who reportedly told medical personnel that the infant had fallen from a bed.
Hospital staff alerted law enforcement after becoming concerned that the injuries were inconsistent with the reported circumstances.
Investigators subsequently examined recordings from the property.
According to prosecutors, the footage showed a nanny, identified as Chunmei Li, violently assaulting the infant on May 4, 2025.
The couple allegedly delayed obtaining medical treatment for two days.
Police also accused Xuan and Zhang of attempting to conceal evidence before officers arrived at the residence.
Prosecutors said the couple instructed some children to deny that they had been beaten, while Zhang allegedly told a nanny to hide sticks used to strike them.
Li was separately charged with felony child abuse but fled the United States, according to investigators.
Authorities said she travelled through Mexico before returning to China.
A warrant remains outstanding for her arrest.
Surrogacy Agency Recruited Women Across America
Investigators also examined how the couple came to have such a large number of children.
Xuan and Zhang established a company called Mark Surrogacy in 2021, operating it from their Arcadia residence.
According to prosecutors, the business recruited women from different parts of the United States to carry pregnancies on the couple’s behalf.
At least 19 of their 21 children were reportedly born through surrogacy.
Authorities alleged that the couple provided misleading information to some prospective surrogate mothers.
One woman was reportedly told that Zhang was a single mother who was struggling to conceive.
Another was informed that the couple already had one daughter and wanted another child.
Neither was told the full extent of the family’s existing arrangements, according to the criminal complaint.
At least eight women subsequently came forward with complaints about how they had been recruited.
The Associated Press reported that some of the women believed they were helping a family have another child and were unaware of the number of pregnancies being arranged.
California permits commercial surrogacy under rules requiring written agreements and independent legal representation.
The authorities have not established that the number of children born through surrogacy was itself unlawful.
Investigators are continuing to examine the circumstances surrounding the pregnancies and the biological parentage of the children.
Couple’s Wealth Raises Questions Over Bail
Prosecutors sought bail of $100 million for each defendant, arguing that their considerable financial resources and international connections presented a risk that they could leave the country before trial.
During the initial hearing, Deputy District Attorney MacKenzie Teymouri said investigators had identified hundreds of personal and corporate bank accounts linked to the couple.
Financial records indicated that one account contained more than $70 million.
Prosecutors also described substantial assets, including valuable sculptures and collections of expensive alcohol.
The court heard that the defendants possessed passports associated with the United States, China, and Mexico, although the validity of some documents remained under investigation.
Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Kerry White rejected the proposed $100 million bail and instead set the amount at $20 million for each defendant.
The judge also imposed conditions requiring them to surrender their passports, submit to electronic monitoring and home confinement if released, and have no contact with the children.
The couple remained detained following the postponement of Monday’s bail review hearing, according to MyNewsLA.
Defence Denies Abuse Allegations
Mitchell Krems, the couple’s defence lawyer, has rejected the allegations that Xuan participated in abusing the children.
“My client is innocent,” Krems said in comments reported by ABC News.
He blamed the alleged violence on nannies employed by the family and said Xuan dismissed those responsible after learning about their conduct.
Krems also accused investigators of unfairly targeting the couple because of their Chinese background.
He argued that Xuan and Zhang had exercised their right to establish a large family and should not be subjected to greater scrutiny because of the number of children they had.
The lawyer previously said Xuan wanted to raise children who would eventually make significant contributions to society through medicine, science, research, and other professions.
Prosecutors have not established why the couple arranged for such a large number of births.
Children Remain Under Protective Care
Fifteen children were removed from the Arcadia property during the original investigation in 2025, while six others associated with the family were located elsewhere.
The children ranged in age from two months to 13 years.
They were placed under the supervision of Los Angeles County child welfare authorities.
The investigation is being conducted by the Arcadia Police Department and the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, with federal authorities separately examining aspects of the surrogacy arrangements.
Xuan faces charges including conspiracy to commit child abuse, felony child abuse, acting as an accessory after the fact, and attempting to dissuade witnesses.
Zhang faces conspiracy, accessory, and witness intimidation charges.
If convicted on all counts, Xuan could receive a maximum prison sentence of 17 years and four months, while Zhang could face up to 11 years and eight months.
The couple have denied wrongdoing, and the allegations remain subject to judicial determination.
