Donor 9623

by Dov Fox (Narrator)

DONOR 9623

When scores of aspiring parents turned to the fertility industry to start families, they chose a remarkable young man to be the biological father of their children. He was a music prodigy and gifted athlete who had a genius IQ, movie star looks, and perfect health.

Except it was all a lie.

In this tour de force of investigative reporting, host Dov Fox unravels the case of Donor 9623, examining the complex forces and competing agendas behind the biggest reproductive hoax of our time. The story is dark, propulsive - and in an unexpected turn - hopeful. This Audible Original exposes the billion-dollar industry that creates hundreds of thousands of babies every year, through unprecedented access to its key players - and to Donor 9623 himself.

The 8-episode series raises hard questions about what we want when we set out to have kids - and what happens when we don’t get it. It places us in the grip of life lived with crushing uncertainty. And unsettles our deepest understanding of what it means to be human.

Genres: Nonfiction, Audiobook, Crime, Medical, Medicine, True Crime, Journalism

125 pages, Audiobook

First published August 30, 2020

Reviews

[Taryn Moreau]

This isn't the kind of thing I'd normally listen to, but man, I could not stop once I started. A very complex, compelling story about a deceptive sperm donor and the fallout that ensued after the truth about him was uncovered.

Even though I don't often consume these true life stories, this one beautifully presented the gray morality I love so much in dark fiction. Maybe I ought to read/listen to more true crime/scandal stories.

[Tracy Fenton]

Yet another FREE Audible Podcast that I listened to in practically one sitting. Over 8 episodes Dov Fox investigates the truth behind Donor 9623 who has fathered in excess of 36 children in the US, Canada and UK. A young man who claims to have an over-average IQ, good looks, sporty and athletic, musical prodigy, multi-linguistic and a degree in sciences, Donor 9623 became Xytex’s number 1 donor who over the period of 10 years fathered at least 36 children.

When some of the parents of these children formed a group to share news and updates on their offspring some alarming information comes to light. Donor 9623 is not who he claims to be at all, in fact he dropped out of college, been convicted of burglary, served time in prison and has a medical diagnosis of schizophrenia which can be passed down to his children.

Fascinating and horrifying in equal measures. Highly recommended.

[Jes]

Very fascinating and terrifying.
Did I miss the part where they address the problem of a large number of genetically related kids growing up within a specific geographical area and the possibilities of these half siblings meeting unwittingly? Need I say more?
I have a friend who is a donor baby; she didn’t know until she was 18. In her research she discovered the sperm was used and undocumented and could be dispersed to well over a 100 couples within the same metro area. Are you seeing a problem here? Did I miss the part where they point out this problem?

I am all about less regulation in general but NO regulation of this very serious endeavor is dangerous.
And I think they let the donor off the hook too easily. Lying about any health issues is egregious when you are expected to be completely honest because lives are at stake. If you don’t want others to know your health issues, do not put yourself in a position where it is necessary to divulge it and the right thing to do. He’s extraordinarily selfish.
And the leap to “wrongful birth” seems erroneous. Wrongful birth applies when a pregnancy is already established and a claim is made that important health information was withheld from mothers. This situation isn’t wrongful birth, they were deceived before ever being pregnant. I can’t believe the legal system failed these parents. Seeking justice to ensure these sperm banks are held accountable for future parents is necessary. I hope these parents don’t give up and at least fight for legislation to prevent the active practice of allowing donors to lie and not have medical records and even educational records checked. These parents never regretted the children they love; they regretted being lied to in such a life changing way. To intersect these motives is absolutely manipulative and wrong.
By the end Dov seems to believe donor’s regret; how can you believe regret that he admitted to but continued to still do for YEARS. He regretted it, but the payoff of feeling important and altruistic certainly far outweighed any flickers of guilt.

I do feel sad for donor. I feel sorry he has an illness that must be terrifying. My frustration is not at his mental illness, my frustration is he knows it’s wrong but still does it. I do not believe he has the capacity to understand the magnitude of his decisions.

[Melanie]

This actually has two parts to it now - the first part was published in 2020 and the second in 2023 and deals more with the aftermath of the first. The first ends with an interview with Chris and many of the mothers of the children had sympathy thinking he was a victim used by the sperm bank and in the interview they find out he knew exactly what he was doing and that he know he had schizophrenia or as he says schizoaffective disorder. He felt it was okay because he thought his was more environmental from drug usage and not genetic. Once Xytex found out about this they did not contact the families of the donor children. These children have a 10-20% of having a schizophrenia diagnosis and if you know the symptoms you can get early treatment which helps - and also make sure these children know that drugs may also "awaken" this disorder. Also before donation he had been in prison and never got any of the degrees he said he had in his donor profile and Xytex did not do any background on the donors. This is something that has not been regulated. There are only suppose to be 10 pregnancies per donor, but many of the pregnancies are not reported back to the the sperm bank. A donor signs up to make a deposit once a week for 52 weeks - which is well over 10. Also they can get 3 to 5 samples to send out per deposit. This hits on what is wrong with the process, people that have been affected by the actions of Xytex, some possible of what needs to be done, affects from Chris Aggeles interview, and Chris finally meeting a child of his. Very well done an interesting.

How did this book find me? I found it in the Audible Plus catalog and was intrigued as know of two children conceived through the donor process. With one she is much more open and I will be curious to know more about her experience as the child grows up into a man.

[Tracy Hollen]

Fascinating

[Jay DeMoir]

This was really thought provoking and interesting! So many lives were changed because of this experience and I'm just shocked by it all.

[Julien]

I really loved listening to the first podcast and was happy to know that there was more to the story about to be unleashed. The way those interviews and overall, the way this story is presented feel like both sides are given a platform to express themselves as well respecting the privacy of those who didn’t wish to be a part of it. My only hope after listening to this is that it will help families and Chris to be able to move on and live a better life despite all the negative consequences this situation may have caused. There’s always a positive side to it.

[John Horner]

"Amazing", "Riveting" and most important of all "free" (if you're using your moms audible membership). Its one of those stories that's true that you wouldn't believe if someone told you. It's the story of man with schizophrenic tendencies who fathered 36 children by being a sperm donor. What I liked most of all was the last where they humanized him instead of choosing to paint him as a complete monster. It's worth listening to fosho

[Mary Lindewirth]

I could not stop listening to this audible production. An incredible story of the sperm bank business. The families and author are much more forgiving than me! That’s all I’ll say. It raises so many questions. Hopefully, procedures have been put in place to protect vulnerable families from moving forward with naive trust and wishful thinking rather than due diligence on donors. Would love a conversation after you listen!!

[Ash]

Wow. This is wild. I’m not one for podcasts and truthfully this sat in my account for over a year! I decided to give it a shot and binged all the episodes back to back over the course of an afternoon. The story is unbelievable, but unfortunately it’s true.

5/5

[Kistal]

What a fascinating listen. I devoured this all in one sitting. I can't help but to feel bad for all the parties involved. Well, except for Xytech the sperm bank. They are crooks!

[Magdalaena]

It’s a documentary so I’m not sure about the spoilers but I prefer to be safe then sorry.
Eight part podcast covering one of the biggest scandals in American history. Self-regulating industry that makes billions by selling sperm to women but takes no responsibility for checking the quality of it? What could go wrong?
36 children is probably the top of the iceberg, the one that can be traced over the Internet, on open channels. But the donor in question was providing samples for years, at a rate of one, or more, per week. One sample can be used to impregnate 10 women. Simple maths: potentially 520 children in one year.
So what is the problem? Genetics, human nature and ethics.
You give a man a questionnaire and ask to answer more than 150 questions on everything from education to medical history up to three generations back. You then just use it for advertising his sperm. Yes, you put a disclaimer that all the information was provided voluntary by the donor and not checked, but it’s not like you stress that he can write whatever he likes and say it’s true and you DID NOTHING to check it. You saw no certificates, medical files, school diplomas, parking tickets, anything. You haven’t even googled the donor, something you quite probably did with your own name at some point...
If a donor is healthy, bright and handsome everything is fine. But what if he is not? What happens if he is lying? Because we mustn’t forget that what you are selling is in your view a marketable product but in reality you are selling humans. You are selling a man to a woman so she can create another human. You are selling hope, one of the most precious commodities on Earth.
There are so many questions involved in this story.
Because this is USA if you say: if I knew about the issues of the donor, I wouldn’t have had chosen him, thus admit you would have not had the baby you have, abortion laws are involved and ethics and religion and things that should be left to philosophers. And you? You have a rage prone child with potential for developing schizophrenia or committing suiscide. And you don’t know about that! You may have a perfectly normal and happy kid but you are 10-20 times more likely to have a troubled one, or a dead body in 1 in three untreated and undiagnosed cases, and no idea why. Shouldn’t you been told that everything in profile is a here-say more often and more strongly? Should the provider told you exactly what tests were done and documents seen? It seems so obvious that the answer is yes, yes, YES! But are you really going to stand up and say that have you been given the chance you would have not created the child you did, the same one that kisses you goodnight and helps you with the dishes. Would you?

What I found personally intriguing, and that is not a good word but I can’t find better, is that in this moral and ethical quagmire, no one has actually said ‘yes, I wouldn’t have had that child! And you know why? Because schizophrenia is not on the same level of baby design as eye colour or prep onsite for classical music. Because no one sane would, if given all the information, have chosen a future for their child that is 10-20 times more probable to involve hearing voices, rages, delusions, hallucinations, and even a suiscide! Who could be so cruel? Here enters moral dilemmas, ethics of conception, eugenics and hope. And you suddenly realise that this simple podcast starts showing you what YOU believe in and think. And sometimes those discoveries can be as disturbing as learning that your dream donor really was too good to be true.

[Lindsay Luke]

Audible Podcast. Donor 9623 is a sperm donor who fathered dozens of children, mainly due to describing himself as basically perfect in every way. Because the sperm donation "industry" is self-regulated and people who want to get pregnant pay more for sperm that is more desirable, they don't really have any reason to check out the claims of the donors if the person gives them a good vibe in their interview. All seemed well until some of these kids started having problems and their parents started trying to figure out more about the donor. Eventually, they found out that he had lied about his educational accomplishments and failed to disclose that he had been diagnosed with schizophrenia and been to jail for theft.
The podcast involves someone who was important at the sperm bank, who has a background in animal breeding. Among the other interviews are several mothers and one of the children - now 17 years old, some friends of the donor, and ultimately the donor himself.
What I learned: The sperm bank guy had an animal breeding background. Apparently this isn't uncommon. Upon consideration, it's not surprising, but it hadn't occurred to me. Sperm banks in the US are almost entirely unregulated and are able to sell their product all over the world. Georgia law is so concerned with the right to life at all costs, that suing the sperm bank for failing to vet their donors is very difficult. The author doesn't say if this causes sperm banks to be located there, but it seems like it might. There have been advances in the treatment of schizophrenia and early intervention plus staying away from certain recreational drugs can be very helpful. Knowledge of the donor's illness can be very important to these kids without implying that they shouldn't have been born or their parents regret choosing this donor.
In the end, we meet the donor and, just like pretty much every aspect of this, he's more complicated than we thought.
Many people who have not actually participated in this, and even some who have, don't fully understand how it all works. This was so interesting I listened to it all in one go.

[Eileen]

I get the feeling that either one loves these things or they dislike them or don't really care. I happen to fall in the "can't look away" category. I had heard vague things about this "scandal" back when the news broke, but I never paid that much attention. I was a surrogate but we never used a sperm donor, so this was a world I never paid attention to, so I found this both fascinating and tragic. On the one hand, the clinic was not ethical in several of the choices they made, but they "stayed within the law" which is double-speak for "they have no liability" and "YMMV". While the clinic may have been liable, I think they would have been less likely to succeed with this kind of thing if the patients themselves were not at a vulnerable time in lives and also if there wasn't this idea that you can control the genes that your babies get to try to give them an advantage in life. There were many legal and ethical issues that were covered in this interview, both having to do with the donor and also with the sperm clinic and to a lesser extent, the families and kids that were affected by all of this. While Dov Fox allows you to see some of Donor 9623's good side, he ultimately doesn't give him a pass. I thought I was just going to "check this out" but I ended bingeing the whole thing in session.

[Hannah]

I had never heard of Donar 9623 until last week on Armchair Expert with Dax Shepard. I was immediately fascinated with the idea of sperm donation and falsified records. I am only 25 but I have considered the idea of artificial insemination if by a certain age I haven’t met someone and still desire a child. I picture a big binder of candidates to choose from - but I did not imagine that false biopics would be a thing. Sperm centers are clearly not monitoring or verifying information and there aren’t laws in place that force them to.
As a sociologist, I am intrigued by the different ways a family can be socially built. This podcast (mini series) was so good I listened twice!!

Dov is a great narrator and does a good job of personifying the families and donar 9623 in the situation.

It’s hard to know if the donar is reliable in his final interview with Dov but you can’t help but feel sorry for him.

I purposely bought an audible plus subscription just to listen to this $4.95. Gonna listen one more time and then cancel haha

[Kerri]

A fascinating podcast, Donor 9623 weaves an intriguing tale about a sperm donor who grossly misrepresented himself, and those who selected him to be the biological father of their children, lured by those false representations. At the outset, the man, and the corporation who hired him, seem shady and disreputable. But Dov Fox does an excellent job of showing you both sides of the story, and illustrating the complexity of the case. The whole series isn’t terribly long; eight episodes lasting less than 4 hours total, but I was so interested, I blew through them in no time.

I knew little to nothing about sperm banks, and how they worked, and while I do think they help a lot of people, the monetary motivations of the banks themselves create a clear conflict of interest. Add to that the complete lack of regulation, and things get pretty iffy. It’s also astonishing to me that there’s no federal registry of children born from sperm donations. It seems pretty problematic from an, “Oh crap, I just married my half sister,” kind of angle. Anyway, well worth a listen.

[Nikki]

I had never known anything about the world of sperm donation until I came across the story of Donor 9632—and I was completely captivated. It’s such an intricate, emotional, and frankly fascinating world that most people never think twice about. But once you start exploring it, you realize how deeply personal and life-altering it is for so many families.

The story of Donor 9632 opened my eyes to how complicated and unregulated this space can be, and how much is at stake when transparency and accountability are lacking. It’s heartbreaking to think about what these families endured.

What stood out to me most is how Dov Fox was able to take something so painful and complex and tell it with such care, clarity, and compassion. Through his dedication to investigating and sharing this story, he's bringing real awareness to issues that have been hidden for too long. Because of his work, change feels possible—and hope becomes something families can hold onto.

This story is not only informative but incredibly moving. Thank you, Dov, for your persistence and heart in bringing this to light.

[Blake Brashear]

Interesting story into the world of sperm donors and the complete lack of background investigations on them. Though I can't say that Zytex was in the wrong entirely, they could have at least attempted to verify the claims if they were going to talk up Donor 9623 as much as it's perceived that they did. I also don't agree with the complete anonymity of the donor/recipient relationship. I don't think the donor should be under any obligation to have a relationship with the recipient if they don't choose, but the recipient does however have a right to all the information if they're choosing that donor. Unfortunately that wasn't the case here due to non-disclosure on the part of the donor, as well as lack of verification on the part of the company facilitating the sample.

[Tracye Kirkwood]

I just can’t believe what people will do. This was a rollercoaster ride, listening to these families who wanted a perfect child. I have to say I don’t feel sorry for them. If they were so interested in a child and couldn’t have one biologically they could have adopted and had a kid with all the tests completed. I have to say I’m very grateful that I did not have to resort to such measures to have a baby. The book is a good read though.

[Beth Nuss]

There is no perfect male specimen out there who can impregnate you with a perfect child. Desperate couples should try to understand this. If a guy is so smart educated and so skilled at athletics then what’s he doing at a sperm bank? You don’t think a guy who speaks 4 languages, excels at all sports and looks like Tom Cruse is taken? RED FLAGS all over this one ladies. Don’t feel a bit sorry for you.

[Jonnie]

Interesting story that strived to present the story from different perspectives. For me the biggest takeaway from the story is the lack of regulation in the sperm donor industry. There are no medical or government regulations on this highly profitable industry. It is definitely a buyer beware business where the lack of ethical values in some companies could lead to future health complications for the offspring.

[Annissa]

This is a "re-read" for me as I originally listened to this in 2020 and I found it utterly intriguing then, and still. I wanted to listen to it again before diving into part 2 of it. As someone who struggled to stay pregnant [16 miscarriages/4 pregnancies resulting in babies] and one who has been on fertility drugs, I understand and feeling of doing everything for a baby. It is interesting, this look into the world of sperm donation and the ramifications of that world.

[Louisa Jones]

When this podcast fell into my profile, I was a bit hesitant to listen to it. My mother has traumatic schizophrenia through physical abuse she received as a child through early adulthood. Like Chris, who this podcast is about, she cannot understand the complexity of her situation.
I really enjoyed this podcast; it just took some time to finish it.

[Laura Anne]

Listened to this on a series of runs around the neighborhood and was both fascinated by the ethical issues of the donor, company, and parents, and heartbroken for the families and especially the children. The story was told through an Audible podcast that’s free with your subscription, and I highly recommend it.

[Jean]

Fascinating listen.

Although there was some repetition, I felt that it was necessary, because this book is presented as a series of podcasts.

I had a lot of sympathy for the mothers, children, and donor. There are so many gray areas surrounding this whole issue. If you have the opportunity to listen to this, take it.

[Margo]

What the WHAT?! My first ever audio book listen and I might be hooked. Had a 6 hour drive today and I thought I’d try a book instead of the Crime Junkie podcast I normally listen to. This story gave me all the feels. From frustration to heartbreak. I found myself talking to no one (out loud!) while driving because of the injustice. If you enjoy true crime documentaries, give this one a listen!

[Suzy Qark]

This podcast discussed the screening practices and trust families place in sperm banks. i am always intrigued when the curtain is pulled back on an interesting subject. I learned from listening to his.

[Taryn]

I very much enjoyed learning more about Donor 9623. I’d heard of this situation but never dove into it. I will say that, based solely on the portion of interviews provided, I did not quite agree with the author’s perspective, but I still appreciated all the facts he compiled.

[Amy Thomas]

This is really an audible podcast not a book. It’s about the ethics of practices within the US of sperm donor banks and specifically what happened with Donor 9623. It’s an interesting but incomplete story about 9623 because litigation is in progress (and one case settled).

[Orna Atar]

Wow! Wow! Don't miss! You won't be able to stop until you'll finish this book