Authorities have taken the latest baby born to a surrogate for a Japanese businessman, who now says he urgently needed 20 children to share his fortune.
The 12th known baby born in Thailand at the behest of Mitsutoki Shigeta was to be one of 20 who would one day inherit his family’s fortune, his lawyer Kong Suriyamonthon told police yesterday.
Authorities took the latest baby into custody pending the outcome into their investigation as to why Shigeta was hiring so many women to birth so many children for him.
Shigeta fled Thailand when authorities discovered nine babies and their caretakers inside an upscale condominium linked to Shigeta one month ago.
The doctor of a clinic believed to have been contracted by Shigeta, Pisit Tantiwattanakul, reappeared to answer police questions Monday about his clinic which was raided and shut down last month.
Japanese media has identified Shigeta as the son of Yasumitsu Shigeta, who 15 years ago became the youngest billionaire in Japan for his mobile phone company. He’s worth THB77.2 billion, according to Forbes.
According to police Lt. Gen. Korkiat Wongworachart, Shigeta lawyer Kong said Shigeta wanted to have 20 children as soon as possible to eventually inherit a family fortune worth THB4 billion, according to the Bangkok Post.
With 17 babies now, he’d almost achieved his goal when the surrogacy scandal prompted by an Australian couple abandoning a child in Thailand brought scrutiny to the semi-underground business.
Police would still like Shigeta to appear in person and answer questions, but so far police said they’ve not found any evidence of wrongdoing.
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