FBI Investigates Sudden Shutdown of Surrogacy Agency, Leaving Parents and Surrogates Unpaid

FBI agents descended on the Washougal, Washington, home of Surro Connections owner Megan Hall‑Greenberg and the agency’s Camas, Washington, headquarters after the surrogacy firm abruptly shut its doors earlier this month, leaving parents and surrogates unpaid and the escrow system in limbo.

FBI Investigation

Agents entered Hall‑Greenberg’s Washougal residence and the Camas office, while a neighbor reported seeing an FBI agent escorting a person from the home into a vehicle. Former Surro Connections staff lost access to company email and records a day before the agency closed, according to interviews with the ex‑employees.

Agency Collapse and Financial Woes

Hall‑Greenberg, 49, deleted her social media accounts and has not responded to messages since Dec. 3. On Dec. 5 she sent an email to intended parents announcing the agency was “ceasing all operations” because of “financial and operational difficulties” and that the company had “no liquid capital” to repay clients. She also terminated staff employment “effective immediately.” The agency had been holding funds in an in‑house escrow system that reportedly contained between $2 million and $5 million for some 150 families.

Mariana Klaveno, 46, had transferred more than $66 000 to the escrow for an embryo transfer scheduled for next month. “Other surrogates aren’t getting paid. Everyone’s freaking out. Everyone says to get a lawyer,” she recalled the surrogate’s warning. “And then come to find out that no one can get a hold of Megan … and none of the intended parents can access the supposed escrow account that we were assured was safe.”

Impact on Parents and Surrogates

Sarah Shaffer, former marketing manager and lead surrogate coordinator, said that many intended parents had just funded the program the night before the shutdown. “Some intended parents had just funded a night before this happened,” Shaffer said. She added that parents had taken out savings to afford the journey.

Alexis Lytle, 27, a surrogate in Indiana, reported that payments were sometimes late, prompting her to ask when they would be deposited. She is 19 weeks pregnant and has been assured of continued support despite losing about $40 000.

Kama Stauffer, 34, a first‑time surrogate from Ashland, Ohio, received her payment this month but learned of the agency’s problems through a Facebook group. She is nine weeks pregnant and estimates her intended parents lost about $50 000.

Red Flags and Prior Scandals

Hall‑Greenberg’s preference for an in‑house escrow system, despite past scandals involving third‑party escrow managers, was a warning sign. She assured clients that the funds were kept separate and housed at a bank insured by the FDIC, and invoices were to be placed in a shared folder. When parents or surrogates pushed back, Hall‑Greenberg insisted on the in‑house approach to avoid third‑party fees.

Public records show Hall‑Greenberg had sold several cheerleading gyms she owned in Oregon and Washington last year and owes Oregon more than $84 000 in unpaid taxes. She has taken at least four loans over the past five years to support her businesses. In September she sold a lender a percentage of Surro Connections’ future revenue for $15 000, a deal that later led to a lawsuit that was discontinued in October. In the same month a court ordered her to pay American Express over $70 000 in credit‑card debt; less than six months earlier she had been ordered to pay more than $30 000.

Response and Next Steps

An FBI spokesperson said, “We cannot confirm or deny the existence of any specific investigation.” The agency’s office was cleared out, with empty binders, shredded files, and missing computers, according to neighboring business owner Christopher Foster. Several former employees are now helping clients and surrogates connect with other agencies and offering pro bono services, but many intended parents remain unsure how to recover their losses.

Key Takeaways

• The FBI is investigating the abrupt shutdown of Surro Connections, which left up to $5 million in escrow funds unclaimed.
• Megan Hall‑Greenberg vanished after deleting social media and ignoring messages since Dec. 3.
• Parents, surrogates, and staff are facing financial hardship, with many having lost tens of thousands of dollars.

The collapse of Surro Connections highlights the risks of in‑house escrow systems and the importance of third‑party oversight in surrogacy arrangements. Parents and surrogates affected by the agency’s sudden closure are seeking legal and financial assistance while the FBI continues its investigation.