Thursday, May 02, 2019

Owner of The Surrogacy Group Facing Federal Charge for Allegedly Defrauding Clients of Fees Paid to Find and/or Support a Pregnancy Surrogate


Known Victims Hail From Around the World; FBI is Seeking Any Additional Victims

Baltimore, Maryland – Federal prosecutors in Maryland have filed a federal criminal complaint charging Gregory Ray Blosser, age 37, of Tampa, Florida, on a federal wire fraud charge in connection with an alleged scheme to defraud clients of The Surrogacy Group (TSG), which he operated.  Blosser was arrested on April 29th in Florida.  The criminal complaint was unsealed at his initial appearance.

The federal criminal complaint was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Robert K. Hur and Acting Special Agent in Charge Jennifer L. Moore of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office.

“The allegations in this case are especially egregious because they involve someone taking advantage of individuals who are trying to become parents,” said U.S. Attorney Robert K. Hur.  “Criminals who line their pockets through such heartless deceit will be held accountable.”

According to the criminal complaint, TSG offers and sells surrogacy-related services to individuals who desire to have children using a pregnancy surrogate.  TSG has been operated by Blosser since 2012 and has offices in Annapolis, Maryland and Tampa, Florida.

The criminal complaint alleges that Blosser solicits and accepts funds from clients seeking to have a child using a surrogate, promising to use those funds to support the surrogate during a pregnancy, but Blosser fails to do so.

As detailed in the affidavit filed in support of the criminal complaint, at Blosser’s direction, at least seven victims paid fees to establish an escrow account to be controlled by Blosser, with the funds to be used to find a suitable surrogate, and to support the surrogate during a pregnancy.  The victims lived in Maryland, Australia, North Carolina, Germany, and Virginia.  In each case, after the victims deposited funds into the escrow account, Blosser either did not locate a suitable surrogate, or did not pay the surrogate the agreed-upon fees.  The victims were not able to obtain refunds, despite numerous attempts by phone and e-mail.  Victims whose surrogates were not paid by Blosser had to pay the surrogates directly, even though they had provided funds to Blosser for that purpose.

Blosser is also facing related civil suits filed by the States of Maryland and Florida.

If you believe you may have been a victim, or have information concerning these charges, please complete a brief questionnaire at www.fbi.gov/tsg or you can email surrogategroup@fbi.gov.  Your responses are voluntary.  You may be contacted by the FBI.

If convicted, Blosser faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison for wire fraud.  Blosser had an initial appearance in U.S. District Court in Miami, Florida, on April 30 and was ordered to be detained pending a detention hearing scheduled for Friday, May 3, 2019 at 10:00 a.m.  He is expected to have an initial appearance in Maryland later this month.

A criminal complaint is not a finding of guilt.  An individual charged by criminal complaint is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty at some later criminal proceedings.

United States Attorney Robert K. Hur commended the FBI for its work in the investigation.  Mr. Hur thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Leo J. Wise, who is prosecuting the case.

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