Cindy Bi wanted a baby, and she hired a surrogate to make that happen. At first the setup seemed perfect. Then bit by bit, suspicion crept in. And when the baby passed away in utero, a war began:
Cindy Bi is not supposed to be telling me this story.
First, there’s the confidentiality clause. When Bi, a venture capitalist who claims to have invested in a dozen unicorns, hired a surrogate to carry her only male embryo in 2023, both parties agreed to keep the details private and away from the media. Then there’s the restraining order against Bi, followed by a court-ordered agreement saying she would not so much as mention the “surrogate” involved in Baby Leon’s stillbirth. Finally, there are social norms to consider when publicly attacking the woman who says she almost died carrying your child.
Still, Bi is talking to me. She sends me a nearly 3,000-item folder filled with legal filings; reports to professional organizations, insurance companies, employers, and the police; emails with her attorneys; and correspondence between her and the “Egg Whisperer” influencer, Dr. Aimee.
Bi considers herself a whistleblower out to protect “unborn children via surrogacy.” Her website invokes scripture: “Establish justice in the courts. Amos 5:15.” Indeed, Bi has racked up nearly a million dollars in legal bills since 2024, in what she views as a fight to honor her son. “I want the surrogate to be known for what she did, to be set as an example,” Bi tells me. “I hope she goes to jail.” Ideally, for murder.
More picks about pregnancy
Baby-Making on Mars
“In the depths of the Cold War, scientists from the U.S. and the U.S.S.R. joined forces to answer a still-urgent question: Can mammals reproduce in space?”
The Birth Keepers
“Influencers made millions pushing ‘wild’ births–now the Free Birth Society is linked to baby deaths around the world.”
Notes on Bed Rest
“I spent months limiting my movement, to protect a high-risk pregnancy. How did it change me?”
