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Assisted Reproduction

Has Another Surrogate Agency, Run By A Former SurroGenesis Officer, Disappeared With Client Funds?

By ⋅ November 3, 2009 ⋅ Print This Post Print This Post ⋅ Post a comment
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I have just received some very unsettling information regarding Bala Surrogacy Center, an East Coast surrogate agency operated by a former Vice-President of SurroGenesis. According to the allegations provided to me, this agency has stopped returning phone calls or responding to emails, has failed to pay at least one surrogate who is currently six months pregnant and has recently bounced a $5,000.00 check (from a general checking account instead of the pre-funded escrow account) to the same gestational carrier.

According to public records, Bala Surrogacy Center is owned and operated by Holly Kahle. Kahle was listed in 2006 as the Vice President of SurroGenesis. Kahle also appeared on the old SurroGenesis website’s testimonial page, identifying herself as a surrogate and offering a glowing account of her experiences with Tonya Collins. In what might prove to be extremely ironic, Kahle’s testimonial claimed:

When I first started on my journey as a surrogate, I found that many agencies were unreceptive to my feelings and concerns. None seemed to truly care about the experience from the surrogate’s perspective. But when I found Tonya Collins at SurroGenesis, I discovered an extremely supportive and helpful person who answered all my questions, no matter how ridiculous they were.

When it came time to match me with Intended Parents, she found me the most amazingly wonderful people. I couldn’t have asked for a better couple. When I started my shots, Tonya guided me through all of the medications by teaching me how to do them just right so they wouldn’t hurt. She was there on the phone when I did my first shot. She even told me little tricks that would help implantation occur. She was always supportive.

Tonya also made all the flight arrangements for my IVF transfer. While I was in Las Vegas for my transfer, she sent me flowers. I was surprised and comforted by her acts of genuine kindness. When I found out I was carrying triplets, I called to let her know. She was there to answer the phone and share in the excitement, even though it was very late at night. Since then, Tonya has checked in with me either by phone or email several days a week throughout my entire pregnancy.

Tonya also handles my trust account. As soon as I submit an expense, she has a check in the mail the same day. She has never been late. I’ve never had to worry about getting a payment on time. She didn’t leave me out there in the cold after the contracts were signed. She went above and beyond to make sure that I was well taken care of in all aspects of the surrogacy.

I’m due to deliver these babies very soon. She has offered to fly back east to help me through what may be an emotionally taxing time. I trust that if I need her, she will be here. That is so much more than even my own family could do. Tonya is a caring, kindhearted, loving woman with a heart of gold. I would definitely recommend her to any Intended Parents, Surrogate, or Egg Donor without hesitation.

Holly Kahle – Pennsylvania

I have received additional allegations regarding Bala Surrogacy that I will share as soon as I am able to verify the information. In the meantime, if you are an Intended Parent, Surrogate or Egg Donor with Bala Surrogacy and have any information or have had a similar experience, please let us know. I will also have some thoughts on this disturbing new development soon.

Related Posts:

  1. SurroGenesis, Tonya Collins & Holly Kahle Back In Business Together?
  2. Bala Surrogacy Update: Complaints Filed With Pennsylvania District Attorney
  3. No News Is Bad News: Another Bala Surrogacy Update
  4. California Enacts New Law Dealing With Surrogate Agencies Handling Of Client Trust Funds
  5. Surrogacy Scandal Epidemic Continuing: More Troubling Allegations Regarding Bala Surrogacy
  6. Update On Bala Surrogacy
  7. Texas Newspapers Now Reporting On SurroGenesis Scandal
  8. Brief Update On Recent SurroGenesis Activities
  9. Bala Surrogacy Update III
  10. Dallas Morning News Turns Up The Heat On SurroGenesis & Tonya Collins

Discussion

9 comments for “Has Another Surrogate Agency, Run By A Former SurroGenesis Officer, Disappeared With Client Funds?”

  • scammed surrogate

    Im assuming that the owner of this agency isnt too worried about the trouble that she is in (much like tonya) because she is advertising her agency and looking for surrogates on this website http://www.allaboutsurrogacy.com/cgi-bin/classifieds/classifieds.cgi?search_and_display_db_button=on&db_id=5143&query=retrieval
    it sickens me to know that the surrogenesis is yet to be unresolved and so many people are still affected by this, it completley rocked my world, im still a nervous wreck about blue shield holding me personally responsible for all the claims that were paid for…andrew due to tonyas misuse and fraud of blue shield do you think blue shield will prosocute us surrogates?

    • Given the nature of the fraud, I do not believe that you should be terribly worried about prosecution. You clearly had no way of knowing that their practice of classifying surrogates as employees was improper. You had no intent to defraud the insurance company and, ultimately, the policies were canceled for non-payment. The silver lining in all of this might very well be that the cancellation of the policies mitigated Blue Shield’s losses. Moreover, given that you and your Intended Parents were also victimized, leads me to believe that Blue Shield would gain no benefit by pursuing an action against you.

      So while I cannot make any promises, given the totality of the circumstances, I do not believe you should be overly anxious anymore.

  • Pingback: No News Is Bad News: Another Bala Surrogacy Update | The Spin Doctor()

  • Pingback: Bala Surrogacy Update: Complaints Filed With Pennsylvania District Attorney | The Spin Doctor()

  • Ian Donoghue

    Hi,
    I am also in a terrible situation with Bala. They took approx $20,000 from me to set up a trust and then stopped repsponding to email and phone attempts to contact them. They have kept my money and seem to have vanished from the face of the planet. If anyone kknow what is going on I would love to know as well.

  • SCAMMED BY BALA SURROGACY/HOLLY KAHLE

    BALA SURROGACY/HOLLY KAHLE SCAMMED 2 MILITARY FAMILIES: IP IN BAGHDAD, IRAQ

    For 7 years my husband and I tried to have a baby. In 2003, at the age of 29 yrs. old, I had an ectopic pregnancy and was diagnosed with Stage Four Endometriosis and both fallopian tubes were removed along with one ovary. Finally, in 2005 we had the funds to cover the fees for invitro, but unfortunately, a few weeks into the process other medical issues appeared and ended up having a full hysterectomy.

    About 2 years ago I researched surrogacy and the egg donor process, but again we did not have the funds. In June 2009 my husband was called to serve a 1 year tour in Iraq. We were both heart-broken as we’ve NEVER been separated. The only good that could come out of his deployment was we would finally have the funds for surrogacy.

    In December 2009 I contacted Bala Surrogacy via Bala’s internet site and within hours Holly Kahle called me back, explained the process, forwarded the “contracts” and advised she had a surrogate for us in mind…all in one day. My husband was signing the contracts and forwarding same back to Holly via the internet in the middle of a war zone in Baghdad, Iraq. We interviewed with surrogates via conference calls between myself, Holly, the surrogate and my husband in Iraq. Please note, our surrogate is also a wife of an active duty airman.

    Within no time Holly was complaining to us about other IP’s saying they weren’t paying their surrogates and she kept asking us for more and more money, outside of what the contract had stated…she NEVER mailed us copies of contracts or other documentation which bore her signature. I, like a fool, sent her ALL the funds needed to fulfill OUR financial obligations to our surrogate.

    NOTE: When we started this process I asked Holly “How much is this WHOLE process going to cost us?” I told her we only had $50,000 to invest. She said, and I quote, “The whole process will cost about $40,000 and no more than $50,000, including Bala’s fees”. LIES LIES LIES!!!!! We are now WELL over $60,000.

    The problems with Holly started with the first payment to be made to our surrogate. Late payments were due to:
    Holly was running around because her step-father was in the hospital.
    Holly was having issues with her ovaries.
    Holly had a hysterectomy
    Holly had back surgery

    Holly claimed she had an accountant. Holly, in September, claimed she had a new business partner, YET, no payments were being sent to our surrogate?!?! For MONTHS I requested medical information on our egg donor, as I believe it’s important for us to have, we’ve received NOTHING! For MONTHS I requested ALL escrow funds be returned to us. She even had our surrogate sign a release of funds – months ago – and to date no funds have been returned. She writes our surrogate saying her attorney will not allow her to correspond with us. Holly did inform our surrogate that she would return our escrow funds to us and has not done so to date.

    Holly has breeched the contracts between us and Bala Surrogacy in more ways than one. I have DEMANDED all funds be returned to us as well as medical records for our egg donor. We have been trying for MONTHS now. We are in contact with the State Attorney Generals Office and PRAY all monies and records will be returned. If our efforts through the DA are not successful, we may take this to the media with the hope of our surrogate receiving her monies due and for other couples contemplating surrogacy

  • SCAMMED BY BALA SURROGACY/HOLLY KAHLE

    PRE-BIRTH ORDER

    Holly stated “If your surrogate gives birth in the state of Pennsylvania, the IP’s names automatically go on the birth certificate”. This is NOT true. This depends on the county your child is born in OR where you live OR where your surrogate lives. The Judge in our county DOES NOT grant such Orders as he does not agree with the surrogacy process. Thank GOD our surrogate lives in an approving county, otherwise this could have been ALOT worse.

    PLEASE, DO THOROUGH RESEARCH ON SURROGACY AGENCIES PRIOR TO MAKING YOUR DECISION!!!!!!

  • Pingback: Surrogacy Scandal Epidemic Continuing: More Troubling Allegations Regarding Bala Surrogacy | The Spin Doctor()

  • Pingback: Industry Professionals & Intended Parents Beware Of A New Scam | The Spin Doctor()

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