A Hong Kong-based Japanese man, who is wanted by Thai authorities on human trafficking charges relating to nine babies he’s reportedly admitted fathering through a surrogate, helped create a child-tracking app, according to reports. Mitsutoki Shigeta, 24, is thought to have been involved with the initiation of Familonet, a Germany startup that made an app to alert parents to their child’s movements. It is also believed he owns a four percent stake in the company.
There is nothing to suggest any link between Familonet and the human trafficking accusations, and according to SCMP, the company has already removed pictures of Shigeta from their Facebook page. Shigeta, who is said to own a flat in Hong Kong’s SoHo district, is wanted by Thai police after a Bangkok condominium was raided on Friday to uncover nine surrogate babies, seven nannies and a pregnant woman.
Shigeta has reportedly admitted to fathering all the children, plus three in Japan, but denies the human trafficking charges and any intention to sell the babies. Laws on surrogacy in Thailand are not strictly regulated, making it a popular place for foreigners seeking such services.
Shigeta’s case came to light shortly after the story of David and Wendy Farnell, an Australian couple accused of abandoning a surrogate baby with Down’s syndrome in Thailand but returning home with the healthy twin. David Farnell, 56, was also convicted of 22 counts of sexually abusing a minor in the 1990s.
The couple denies any wrong doing and say they will fight to get the baby boy back.
Photo: Familionet Facebook page
Correction: A previous version of this article said it had emerged that Mitsutoki Shigeta had been involved in the initiation of the Familonet app. This was actually only reported and not confirmed.
