SEAM escrow embezzlement allegation: FBI could be involved in Dominique Side's alleged surrogacy scam case spanning across U.S.

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) — The FBI may be getting involved in a case where dozens of expectant parents say a Houston woman funneled money out of her surrogacy escrow business and into her own pockets.

The complex saga of how the owner of a surrogate escrow agency — Surrogacy Escrow Account Management, aka SEAM — may have misappropriated millions of dollars from expectant parents added another wrinkle on Monday during an injunction hearing on an already-ongoing civil lawsuit.

The suit itself has dozens of plaintiffs, and focuses on Dominique Side, the owner of SEAM. However, the plaintiffs’ attorneys have added Anthony Hall and Helen Yancy to the legal proceedings because both are involved with Side in other business dealings, and there are allegations that all the money was intermingled.

More than 24 families claim Surrogacy Escrow Account Management’s owner used the money they deposited for family planning to fund a lavish lifestyle.

In court on Monday, it was Hall, one of Side’s business partners, who took the stand. The hearing itself was to add several plaintiffs to the existing injunction.

Over the course of more than two hours, Hall testified on a number of issues. Throughout his testimony, Hall denied any wrongdoing and that he had knowledge of what Side was doing with the money from SEAM.

On the issue of Yancy, Hall testified that he did have an affair with Yancy, and that he and his wife had been separated on and off for two years. Hall’s wife was in court during the testimony. Over the weekend, Yancy posted a long screed on Facebook, detailing her and Hall’s personal and business issues. The posts were discussed in court.

Hall alleged Yancy forged signatures in order to get five acres of land turned over to her the same day the original injunction was granted. Hall said Side’s signatures were forged as well, and played a phone call recording in court that purportedly showed Yancy admitting the forgery.

The testimony took a surprising turn when Hall admitted that the FBI went to his home on Monday morning to talk to him. So far, only civil suits have been filed and nobody has faced criminal charges.

From hope to heartbreak: Families allege surrogacy escrow company stole millions

Besides the land and the FBI revelation, the hearing also addressed music production equipment that Hall needs for his job as a music producer. Plaintiffs’ attorneys believe that some of their clients’ monies were used to purchase the equipment. While that is being hashed out in court, both sides managed to come to an agreement.

After a brief recess, both sides agreed that Hall can use the equipment for work, but the equipment will continue to be part of the injunction.

The judge did not make any additional rulings, and it’s unclear when the next hearing will be.

In the meantime, nobody has seen Side, the woman at the center of the surrogacy controversy.

For news updates, follow Miya Shay on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

SEAM’s surrogacy clients discovered the money they’d deposited into escrow accounts had vanished, according to a lawsuit filed against Dominique Side.