Surrogacy fixer 'took more than $16 million intended for mothers' and used it to launch her RAP CAREER
Dominique Side, 45, was sued by 37 couples who had paid her to organize a surrogate so they could have children.
They allegedly discovered that she had instead used their money to fund a lavish lifestyle of designer clothes, luxury vacations and a recording studio as she sought to become a music star.
Side, the former owner of Houston-based Surrogacy Escrow Account Management (SEAM) failed to respond to a legal filing seeking damages, leading to a partial judgement signed last week by Judge Donna Roth.
The affected families, some of whom can't have children because of cancer and autoimmune diseases, will now be rewarded $1,045,158 in damages, according to the lawsuit obtained by KTRK.
Marianne Robak, the attorney representing the victims, said her clients are just some of the families from around the globe, as people in China, Egypt and France have also allegedly been scammed by Side.
'Some of them had surrogates that were currently at the time pregnant with their babies, and they had no way to pay for their medical care,' Robak told the outlet.
Robak said that since Side's co-defendant and business partner, Anthony Hall, did respond to the lawsuit, the case will have to head to trial before the families are paid.
Kelly Palladino, with husband Daniel, opted for surrogacy after struggling to conceive because of multiple autoimmune diseases but payments from her account stopped after a month
She is confident she will get the full $1.7 million her clients are seeking when it's over.
Other than the payout, Robak said she has also frozen Side's assets, including her music equipment and real estate.
'Once these judgments become final, we will be able to go after those assets, liquidate them, and help these families become whole,' the lawyer added.
Robak anticipates a trial to kick off next summer as the FBI investigation into Side remains ongoing.
A civil lawsuit against Side, her business partner and their production company claims a total of more than $16 million in escrow funds have disappeared, the Houston Chronicle reported.
Heartbroken couples shared their anguish after claiming they were left high and dry by Side's alleged antics.
Jenna and Roy Copeland, a Georgia based couple, told GMA that they lost approximately $40,000 with Surrogacy Escrow Account Management.
'We sent the money and she walked away with it,' said Chris Perkins Yans, who had to work overtime alongside his husband to pay their surrogate after they claimed $71,000 disappeared.
'It's devastating, it's terrifying, you start to feel even more hopeless than you did,' said SEAM client AnnaMaria Gallozzi who chose surrogacy after being diagnosed with stage four breast cancer in 2019.
New York City mom Laura Daniels said she was left scrambling to find $10,000 to pay her surrogate after her funds vanished.
'It's just, it's been so awful and it was occupying so much of my time,' Daniels said. 'I think I smile to keep from crying.'|
Kelly Palladino opted for surrogacy after struggling to conceive because of multiple autoimmune diseases.
She and husband Daniel from Sarasota, Florida found a surrogate in fall 2023 and deposited $60,000 after arranging to pay her through Side's company.
But it was little more than a month before the surrogate alerted them that the payments had stopped.
Kelly said that Side repeatedly made excuses before refusing to take their calls.
'We thought this would be a great way to build our family,' Kelly told Fox13.
'She did this knowing what we go through. It's not an easy process and what's coming out is just – I never would have thought.'
Shortly after her alleged lies were uncovered, people sending messages to her email address received automated responses telling them she is subject to an 'active investigation by federal authorities.'
It went on to say that she is, on the advice of counsel, 'not permitted to respond to any inquiries.'
Arielle Mitton from Bellingham, Washington, had $38,000 in the account when payments to her surrogate in Indiana stopped in May.
'When people come to surrogacy, it's not a choice,' she said.
'It's not like, 'Oh, this is my first choice. I want to do this.' It's like, 'I don't really have another option'.'
'It feels premeditated to me,' she told Click2Houston.
'How can someone have millions of dollars disappear without some sort of plan?'
Not only did Side splurge on expensive trips, studio space and clothing, but she also launched a 'luxury, 100% vegan ready-to-wear apparel line for individuals seeking chic yet sustainable pieces,' Vwire reported.
In the June 2023 release of her brand 'Nikki Green,' Side was described as a Sustainability Expert, Luxury Vegan Lifestyle Influencer and Serial Entrepreneur' as she laid across an emerald green couch while wearing a matching pants suit.
'I love luxury, I love designer, but I'm constantly searching for quality 100% vegan pieces,' the disgraced business owner said.
The website for her clothing brand is no longer active. All of her social media accounts have since been deleted or made private.
Side filed for bankruptcy in 2003, and a court seized and sold land owned by SEAM in 2022 over unpaid property taxes.
Her mother, Caron Parks-Hinton, previously insisted her daughter 'has a conscience' while denying the allegations against her.
In an interview last year with ABC13, her mother said Side was 'struggling' after her company shut down amid an FBI probe.
'She's having a very hard time,' Parks-Hinton told the outlet. 'Because of the type of person she is. She has a conscience.'
When pressed on whether she believes her daughter deliberately funneled money out of the escrow account, she emphatically stated, 'No, I don't.'
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