A Dutch sperm donor has admitted to fathering at least 199 children across Europe, acknowledging he repeatedly misled parents about the true scale of his donations. The 43-year-old donor, identified as Simon from the Groningen region, revealed the figure in a letter sent to parents on August 29.
According to his account, 172 children were born in the Netherlands, with an additional 11 in Belgium, 15 in Germany, and one in another European country. One woman is reported to be currently pregnant. This newly disclosed number significantly exceeds the previously known figure of 121 children conceived through his donations.
The donor communicated this information via a group chat containing over 35 parents, as reported by the Dutch current affairs program Nieuwsuur, which obtained a copy of the letter. However, at least one mother contacted by the broadcaster had not yet received the message and was unaware of the updated total.
In his letter, Simon admitted to not always being transparent with parents. "As a result, parents were given an incomplete or distorted picture," he wrote. "I believed I was doing the right thing and helping people. The appreciation and seeing their intense happiness were my only motivation. I now know that I have seriously let you down."
He added that he should have calculated his total donations earlier, stating, "The total turns out to be higher than I myself had thought, hoped or wanted." Simon has used various aliases over the years, including Jesse, Johan, Daan, Sam, and Maarten. His donations were made through multiple sperm banks, but he also frequently contacted prospective parents online and arranged donations outside of fertility clinics.
This situation echoes the case of another Dutch sperm donor, Jonathan Jacob Meijer, who is believed to have fathered hundreds of children globally. A Dutch court banned Meijer in 2023 from donating to new recipients and ordered sperm banks to destroy his stored samples, with exceptions for existing families seeking biological siblings. His story was later featured in the Netflix documentary series "The Man with 1000 Kids."
Several mothers had previously accused Simon of dishonesty regarding the number of children he had fathered and expressed a desire for him to cease donations. Allegations also included sexually suggestive messages. Reports indicate that the Dutch Ministry of Health was aware of Simon's prolific donation activity as early as August 2017 but took no action at the time. Two years later, he was appointed to a government committee evaluating Dutch donor legislation.
Belgium's Federal Agency for Medicines and Health Products has initiated an investigation to determine if Simon donated through Belgian fertility clinics or privately. Simon has stated that he has stopped all sperm donations and intends to seek professional help to manage the situation responsibly for the children's benefit.