Left: Dominique Side (WISH). Right: Vgn Bae Studios (Vgn Bae Studios).
Dozens of families were bilked out of millions of dollars intended to pay for their gestational surrogates but that were instead used to fund the luxury-branded, globe-trotting lifestyle of an obscure Houston musician, multiple lawsuits recently filed in Texas allege.
On Wednesday, after a hearing earlier this week, a judge in Harris County entered a scathing court order that froze the assets of the escrow company accused of stealing those families’ funds, Surrogacy Escrow Account Management (SEAM). The court also froze several bank accounts associated with SEAM’s owner, Dominique Side.
“The evidence shows that it is likely — and probable — that SEAM misappropriated millions of its clients’ escrow funds,” 80th Civil District Court Judge Jeralynn Manor wrote in the order.
The extent of the alleged fraud is unclear so far.
“It appears that some of those funds were used to pay the Intended Parents’ surrogates, as agreed,” the temporary injunction order reads. “However, not all of the funds were paid to the surrogates.”
One family sued SEAM, Side and associated named defendants over the series of alleged thefts in late June, according to Harris County court records. Since then, 22 additional families joined that initial lawsuit as intervenors making the same or similar claims. In July, another family filed a new lawsuit against SEAM, Side, and additional entities and individuals associated with the alleged serial fraudster.
“Bank records show that Dominique transferred more than $2.2 Million of the Intended Parents’ escrow funds to bankroll her music career as ‘Dom,’ a racy rap and R&B singer and music producer,” the original lawsuit reads. “The escrow funds were used to create Dom’s music videos and social media content.”
As part of Side’s self-promotional efforts, SEAM also used surrogacy money to support jet-set image maintenance like “lavish trips all over the world and to purchase designer clothing and luxury vehicles,” the lawsuit alleges — including “membership to the Soho House, which is an exclusive club for celebrities in the music industry.”
“Dominique’s social media accounts have been cluttered with videos of her showcasing her expensive lifestyle,” the lawsuit goes on. “She, of course, never told Dom’s social media ‘followers’ that everything she had was because she stole money from innocent families that she had conned into trusting her.”
The lawsuit also alleges that some $6.2 million worth of escrow funds were used to finance a music recording studio co-owned by Side and co-defendant Anthony Hall called Vgn Bae Studios. The studio’s website describes it as “an 18,000 square foot facility where innovation meets imagination” and “[y]our home to dynamic productions, memorable gatherings, and joyous celebrations.”
And there’s even more real estate involved.
“Records also show that SEAM also used the Intended Parents’ escrow funds to invest in real estate,” the lawsuit reads. “In 2019, SEAM purchased a five-acre tract of land in Houston worth at least $575,000.00. In 2023, SEAM’s escrow funds were used to build a custom home in New Orleans worth about $300,000.00.”
Hall, for his part, was the only named defendant to appear in court this week, according to Houston-based NBC affiliate KPRC. During the hearing, Hall reportedly positioned himself as another of Side’s victims — saying he did not realize where the money came from, pledging to work with authorities, and to help families recoup their losses.
In the end, there may be well over 100 families worldwide who were scammed by Side and SEAM, an attorney told the TV station.
The court observed a dizzying array of spending and assets — all of which appear to have been sourced from surrogacy parents.
“Dominique transferred more than $2.2 million of the intended parents’ escrow funds to herself,” the court order reads. “SEAM’s 2023 tax returns show it has $4,421,000.00 in ‘equipment.’ Bank records also show that SEAM transferred more than $4.9 million of the intended parents escrow funds to pay an AMEX card that appears to be related to Vgn Bae Music Group, Inc.”
The court also determined that SEAM owns some $1.296 million in “furniture and equipment,” some $1.48 million in “other investments” and some $4.421 million in “other assets.” Some of those assets, the court suggested, might include $275,000 worth of escrow funds that Side allegedly transferred to her clothing line, Nikki Green, LLC.
Just under $1 million was also transferred to various other individuals as payments and a “kickback,” the lawsuit claims.
“We are satisfied that the court granted our injunction, and we are confident that the families are grateful as well,” Shackelford, McKinley & Norton, LLP attorney Marianne Robak told Law&Crime. “This is an important step for our legal team as we fight to help those affected by this scheme receive the recovery and answers they deserve. We will continue to investigate where the money went and the best course of action to hold the defendants accountable for their deceitful actions.”
The alleged scheme appears to have only recently fallen apart.
Marieke Slik and her husband are the leading plaintiffs in the first lawsuit filed. They deposited $61,250.00 into their SEAM escrow account in December 2023. And, for months, they were hopeful.
“SEAM represented to Plaintiff and her husband that it would maintain a transaction history that would reflect each and every disbursement from the Escrow Account,” their lawsuit reads. “Everything appeared to be running smoothly.”
Then, in early June, the Sliks received a notice offering “sincere apologies regarding recent payment delays.” The message was signed by Side and promised that Capital One Bank was setting up a new escrow account — and insisting that payments would resume shortly. They never did.
“On June 14, 2024, SEAM and Dominique sent an email to the Intended Parents informing them that: ‘Due to legal action all operations have been placed on hold. At this time, I am unable to provide further details regarding this matter,”” the lawsuit explains. “Thereafter, SEAM claimed that, although none of its staff had been implicated in any ‘wrongdoing,’ they no longer worked for SEAM.”
The above order of events tracks with delays and promises outlined in the second lawsuit filed by Kristen Smith and Gregory Smith.
But first the Smiths heard from the surrogates.
“In early June 2024, the Smiths were contacted by their gestational surrogate, who informed them that there were troubling discussions occurring online in Facebook groups dedicated to intended parents and gestational surrogates,” the second lawsuit reads. “The collective rumor was that SEAM had frozen its financial accounts and that surrogates were no longer receiving payments.”
As a musician, despite the alleged self-aggrandizement and luxurious life intended to showcase her accomplishments, Side has not been prolific. In November 2020, “after a ten-year hiatus from the industry,” she released a bilingual cover of a Christmas song, according to a press release issued by Vgn Bae Music Group.
The trial in the first lawsuit is slated to begin on Jan. 13, 2025.
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