Man With 550 Biological Children Banned From Donating Sperm

Man With 550 Biological Children Banned From Donating Sperm 

A man suspected of fathering over 500 children through his sperm donations was officially banned from further donations in April 2023. If he breaches the order, he faces a fine of $110,000. 

Jonathan Jacob Meijer, 42, was issued the ban by a Dutch court. The ruling prevents him from continuing to donate his semen to clinics.

Jonathan was also required to request that clinics in other countries destroy any remaining samples of his semen, but it's unknown if he followed that order. The order did not apply to samples previously reserved by clients who already have children using his sperm.

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Jonathan was sued for allegedly lying about the number of children he has fathered.

Investigations revealed that he has at least 550 biological children worldwide. The the Mirror US reported at least 375 of them reside in the Netherlands, 80 in Germany, 35 in Belgium, 4 in Argentina, and 2 in Australia.

It's believed that Jonathan donated sperm to at least 13 clinics, with 11 located in the Netherlands. He was barred from donating sperm in his home country in 2017 when it was discovered he had fathered 102 children, exceeding the official limit of 25.

Throughout his years of donations, which started in 2007, Jonathan promised each fertility clinic exclusive donations and told potential mothers he had fathered around 10 children.

One plaintiff, identified as 'Eva', gave birth to one of Jonathan's children in 2018. She said: "If I had known he had already fathered more than 100 children I would never have chosen this donor."

"When I think about the consequences this could have for my child I am sick to my stomach. Going to court is the only way to protect my child," she added.

The lawsuit filed by the Dutch DonorKind Foundation claimed that Jonathan, a Kenya resident, kept providing sperm to facilities in Denmark and Ukraine. He allegedly promoted himself as a donor on matching platforms for hopeful parents, sometimes using false identities.

DonorKind's lawyer Mark de Hek explained the legal action emerged after women repeatedly pleaded with Jonathan to stop his donations. 

He stated: "We and some of the mothers have approached him. They have asked him to stop. He refused. This is why legal action is the only option to protect children."

2 months following his donation ban, Jonathan told a German publication, "I want to start a family, dream of having 5 children. I want to do something meaningful with my life," he said. "Yes, I lied to the women. That was wrong. I wanted to help them."

Over 150 women who conceived children with Jonathan's sperm formed a support group. 

When asked about his children, Jonathan responded, "I like to meet them. But emotionally, they feel more like my nephews and nieces. Otherwise, it would be too much for me."