SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4) — A West Valley woman was in a surrogacy agreement with adoptive parents from Washington DC and has now been charged with stealing money from them.
33-year-old Teresa Mertes from West Valley is facing three major charges: theft by extortion, attempted theft by extortion, and attempted theft by deception.
“This is probably the only case we have filed of this kind in the last 20-25 years,” Sim Gill, Salt Lake County District Attorney said. “What’s clear based on the evidence presented to us is she was using the surrogacy and her pregnancy per the agreement to extort more money from them.”
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Gill said the extra money she asked for wasn’t necessary…