Judge orders over $1 million restitution in Houston surrogacy scam case

Houston surrogacy scammer to pay $1M restitution

A Harris County judge has ordered Dominique Side, the former owner of Houston-based Surrogacy Escrow Account Management (SEAM), and the company to pay families more than $1 million in damages.

HOUSTON - A Harris County judge has ordered Dominique Side, the former owner of Houston-based Surrogacy Escrow Account Management (SEAM), and the company to pay families more than $1 million in damages.

The decision comes over a year after several families demanded answers from Side after their investments, ranging from $12,000 to $60,000, went missing last summer.

Harris County judge orders over $1 million in restitution in surrogacy scam case

What we know:

The court issued a partial judgment, resolving specific issues in the legal case but not concluding it entirely. Here’s a breakdown of the financial details:

Families who first brought the lawsuit, and are listed as actual plaintiffs in this case, are awarded $29,427.12 in damages.
Families who joined the suit later are to receive $1,007,689.05.
Pre-judgment interest on the actual damages is set at a 5% rate from June 21, 2024, to July 9, 2025, totaling $7,194.03.

You can view the judgment below. Mobile users, click here to read.

What they're saying:

AnnaMaria Gallozzi, a victim of the surrogate escrow scam, expressed her frustration over the situation. "I would love to see her held accountable and serve jail time for this," she said. "I’m not sure if we’re ever going to see her in court, if there’s going to be a plea deal. It is devastating."

What's next:

In addition to the lawsuits against Dominique Side and SEAM, they are under federal investigation by the FBI. Details remain limited as the investigation is ongoing.