Chinese gaming billionaire Xu Bo reportedly hopes to have around 20 U.S.-born children who could eventually take over his business empire.
Xu, 48, is the founder and chairman of Guangzhou Duoyi Network, one of China’s major mobile gaming companies, and Forbes estimates his fortune at approximately $1.1 billion.
According to a Wall Street Journal investigation, Xu has used surrogacy services in the United States and has sought parental rights involving multiple children. The report said accounts linked to Xu on Chinese social media had discussed his desire to have dozens of sons.
During a 2023 court hearing, Xu reportedly said he hoped to have around 20 children born in the U.S. who could eventually succeed him in running his business.
The Wall Street Journal also reported that Duoyi Network had previously stated Xu had fathered more than 100 children through U.S.-based surrogates. However, the company later disputed elements of the Journal’s reporting, accusing it of misrepresenting the facts and saying only 12 of the alleged 100-plus children were born in the United States.
Xu’s former girlfriend separately claimed he had as many as 300 children around the world, an allegation his company denied.
Xu is not the only billionaire reported to have fathered a large number of children. Telegram founder Pavel Durov has said that, in addition to his six children conceived with partners, years of sperm donations have resulted in more than 100 pregnancies across multiple countries.
Durov has said his will gives equal inheritance rights to all of his children, including those conceived through sperm donation.