Los Angeles Chinese-American community leader, Guojun Xuan and his wife, Silvia Zhang, concluded a year-long investigation on Tuesday, October 6th, with multiple charges announced, including child abuse and obstruction of justice.
The couple pleaded not guilty during the arraignment and denied all accusations. They are currently out on a $20 million bail.
Guojun Xuan appeared in court on a wheelchair, sporting a bald head. His attorney claimed that Guojun Xuan has leukemia and recently underwent a bone marrow transplant.
It was reported that Guojun Xuan first came under law enforcement’s radar in 2021 for involvement in illegal gambling, illegal marijuana cultivation, and psychedelic mushrooms.
During a search of Guojun Xuan’s luxury home, investigators discovered antiques and rare wines worth millions of dollars. The couple had over 200 bank accounts and transferred over $250 million in funds in the past three years, with one account holding a balance exceeding $70 million.
What transpired inside their lavish mansion in Arcadia, Los Angeles County, where as many as 21 infants and toddlers between 1 and 3 years old were found? By the time the children reach adulthood, Guojun Xuan will be over 80 years old.
The shocking surrogacy case unfolded as follows:
The couple’s 2-month-old child was hospitalized due to head injuries, leading to a search warrant being issued by law enforcement.
According to surveillance footage from the mansion, the infant lost consciousness after being severely shaken and abused by the nanny, Chunmei Li. Despite the child’s legal guardians, Guojun Xuan and Silvia Zhang, being aware of the incident, they failed to seek immediate medical attention. It was not until two days later that the child suffered a seizure and was taken to the hospital.
The footage showed Chunmei Li placing the infant out of the camera’s view but the cries could still be heard. After a few seconds of crying, there was a dull thud, possibly an impact sound, after which the crying abruptly stopped. Chunmei Li attempted to rouse the child but was unsuccessful, as shown in the video where she shook the infant.
Chunmei Li is currently missing.
Investigators stated that surveillance footage revealed children lined up in rows inside the residence in Arcadia, alongside teachers and caregivers.
One photo from the scene showed an adult slapping a child’s face, another depicted a child being punished to squat, and a third displayed a child lying face down on a table while an adult spanked them.
According to sources, at least 15 of the 21 children had lived in the 10,000-square-foot mansion, now under the care of the Department of Children and Family Services.
Neighbor Chuck Trujill, who could see the mansion from his home, reported hearing screams emanating from the property.
“They treated the children completely differently from normal people.,” Trujill stated.
The couple also operated a real estate business in the mansion. Former employee Tina Powers described the atmosphere inside as highly tense.
“It was really bad. Within five minutes of my arrival, we started looking at each other because someone began yelling. The atmosphere was very tense, and because it was a mansion, the acoustics were loud,” Powers said.
Additionally, Guojun Xuan and Silvia Zhang operated a commercial property in El Monte, approximately 6 miles from Arcadia.
Investigators found gambling machines and a large quantity of psychedelic mushrooms at the property, resulting in accusations against overseas criminal Haoren Ma, known as “Long Brother,” for involvement in illegal gambling and drug activities on the premises.
Police seized 84 boxes of psychedelic mushrooms from the building in 2023.
Many of the 21 children were born through surrogacy, with births occurring in rapid succession.
Surrogate mother Kayla Elliot, who carried a child for the couple, expressed shock and unease over the case.
“It’s so disturbing, emotionally damaging,” Elliot remarked.
Two weeks before the arrests, “7 On Your Side” revisited the couple’s mansion in Arcadia in an attempt to understand their reasons for having so many children. A woman outside refused to answer any questions, covered her face with her hands, avoided the news cameras, and dialed emergency services.
Why did the couple have so many children? Guojun Xuan’s attorney Mitchell Krems responded, “This is a good question because on the surface, it seems very strange. But as his lawyer, I have developed a very personal relationship with Mr. Xuan. I gradually understand that his desire for so many children stems from his altruism.”
Krems stated that Guojun Xuan’s goal was to raise children who would contribute positively to society.
“He has these children because he wants them to contribute to society. He’s not a self-indulgent person. Some wealthy people might spend money on jewelry or cars, but he is actually using his resources to help his children receive an education and become philosophers, doctors, researchers, and inventors who benefit society,” the acting attorney expressed.
However, the images and videos of how the children were educated within the mansion have sparked strong criticism from the public and law enforcement. As these 21 children grow into adults, Guojun Xuan will be over 80 years old. The concentration of his altruism on such a large number of children remains a mystery.
Following the Tuesday arrests, Krems stated that he could not comment on many aspects of the case and added that any allegations of child abuse against Guojun Xuan were unfounded, with prosecutors distorting the facts.
The investigation is ongoing.
Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman described the case as an “unprecedented child abuse case” in the wealthiest Chinese city in Southern California.
He referred to the mansion as a “house of horrors” targeting young children, equipped with over thirty surveillance cameras to monitor them and the caregivers, with at least 15 children subjected to repeated physical abuse.
Deputy District Attorney MacKenzie Teymouri mentioned that Guojun Xuan and Silvia Zhang held American, Chinese, and Mexican passports.
According to law enforcement sources speaking to the Los Angeles Times, Guojun and Zhang are dual Chinese citizens. As the case is still under investigation, the sources requested anonymity.
The judge overseeing the case ordered the couple to surrender all passports, undergo home confinement and electronic monitoring, refrain from contact with surrogacy agencies, and prohibit most interactions with the children.