A Chinese-American couple is accused of raising 21 children in a California mansion, keeping them isolated from the outside world and subjecting them to violent discipline.
During a hearing on October 16, prosecutor MacKenzie Teymouri stated that Guojun Xuan, 66, and his wife, Silvia Zhang, 39, allegedly kept 21 children hidden from the outside world, denying them access to schools, playgrounds, or restaurants.
When the children were taken into the care of the Department of Children and Family Services last year, some were afraid to even visit a park, having never been outside before.
According to the allegations, Xuan and Zhang had 21 children, 19 of whom were born via surrogacy. The couple raised the children in a nearly 1,000-square-meter mansion—valued at over $4 million—in Arcadia, California, where six nannies also resided.
Prosecutors stated that the children were forced to study mathematics, Chinese, and English almost around the clock. They were required to sit upright and pay close attention; failure to do so resulted in physical abuse. Such violence took place in the kitchen, bathrooms, bedrooms, and the foyer.
Police recovered surveillance footage showing Xuan using a flashlight to check on the children as they slept, striking those who were still awake. Prosecutor Teymouri noted that the audio had to be muted while reviewing some of the footage due to the constant, persistent screaming of the children.
The house was equipped with over 30 cameras to monitor the children and the nannies. According to the criminal complaint, surveillance footage captured nannies punishing children in various ways, including spanking them, kicking them, striking their hands repeatedly with a stick, and hitting their heads, bodies, and arms with shoes. Some children were also forced to remain in a squatting position for extended periods as a form of punishment.
A 58-year-old nanny named Chunmei Li is accused of striking a two-month-old boy, causing a brain hemorrhage. According to prosecutors, the couple—Xuan and Zhang—did not seek medical treatment for the infant until two days later. Li has been charged with child abuse and fled to China with the couple's assistance.
Prosecutors also stated that during questioning, Xuan could not recall all of her children's names and "had to refer to a spreadsheet" to remember them.Xuan and Zhang have been charged with conspiracy to commit child abuse, accessory after the fact, and dissuading a witness from providing information. Both have pleaded not guilty.
During the hearing, prosecutors requested that bail be increased to $100 million, citing records that show Xuan holds at least $76 million across two money market accounts and possesses four passports, including one from Mexico.
Xuan’s defense attorney requested that bail be reduced to $5 million—or that his client be released on her own recognizance—noting that she suffers from a rare form of leukemia, has recently undergone a bone marrow transplant, and is confined to a wheelchair. The attorney also denied the allegations, attributing the abuse to nannies and pointing out that Xuan has no prior criminal record.
Zhang’s attorney also objected to the high bail amount, arguing that the children lived in comfortable conditions, were well-fed, and received daily education.
A Los Angeles Superior Court judge ordered that the couple remain in custody, setting bail at $20 million for each. The judge agreed with prosecutors that the defendants pose a flight risk and have shown signs of attempting to conceal or destroy evidence, as well as potentially moving witnesses out of the country.
The case also involves a civil lawsuit filed by five women who served as surrogate mothers for the couple. Last month, they sued Xuan and Zhang, leveling allegations that include fraud, negligence, the use of gametes or embryos in assisted reproduction without consent, and sexual assault.
In the lawsuit, the plaintiffs allege that Xuan is a wealthy individual obsessed with impregnating women and having as many children as possible. They claim that the couple used deception and coercion to pressure these women into undergoing invasive procedures involving their reproductive organs.
According to prosecutors, Xuan and Zhang established their own company, Mark Surrogacy Investments, to bypass the background checks typically conducted by professional surrogacy agencies. The couple is accused of lying to at least two of the women, claiming that Zhang had difficulty conceiving.
Before police searched the villa in May 2025, the couple allegedly instructed some of the children to deny having been beaten and ordered them to hide the sticks used to strike them.
If convicted, Xuan faces a maximum sentence of 17 years and 4 months in prison; Zhang could receive a sentence of 11 years and 8 months; and Li faces up to 12 years in prison.