“The Man with 1000 Kids” is a documentary series on Netflix that follows the journey of four couples and a single woman as they come to know that their sperm donor has fathered hundreds of children.
The series reveals how Jonathan Jacob Meijer misled those who used his sperm donation service by claiming he had only assisted a few families. However, as parents in The Netherlands notice striking resemblances between their children born from sperm donors, it becomes evident that his donations were far more extensive, spanning across different countries.
Concerns rise among the families about the potential risks if half-siblings unknowingly have relationships and children together.
A man referred to as John, one of the couples who used Meijer’s services, expressed on the show: “We were worried about what might happen if these children meet and potentially form connections or fall in love without knowing they are related. That’s when the real concern set in. That’s when the actual risks became apparent.”
Jonathan Jacob Meijer faces a ban on sperm donation in The Netherlands
In April 2023, the Hague District Court in the Netherlands prohibited Meijer from donating sperm to fertility centers after confirming that he had fathered over 500 children, as reported by The Independent.
He will face a fine of €100,000 per violation if he engages in sperm donation activities again.
An anonymous donor also claimed in the series that Meijer, alongside another individual named Leon, operated a site named “Longing for a Child” to maximize the number of children fathered. The anonymous donor alleged that Meijer and Leon mixed their sperm samples to play a game of “sperm roulette” to predict the child’s appearance.
Meijer refuted these claims in an email to Business Insider, denying any involvement in running the website. He stated, “I did not manage a website, and there is no evidence to support that. I advertised on that specific website during my early years as a donor, from 2008-2014. I am uncertain about Leon’s actions; I met him only a few times, and he passed away two years ago.”
Regarding the Netflix portrayal, Meijer mentioned: “I will take legal action against the defamation; this is extremely absurd! I will pursue legal recourse, not just for the mixing allegation but for other accusations as well.”
Netflix did not provide a response to Business Insider’s request for comment.
Meijer is active on YouTube, sharing his travel experiences
The documentary highlights Meijer’s frequent travel due to work commitments, which prevented some of the mothers from confronting him in person when they discovered the extent of his sperm donation activities.
He regularly uploads videos on his YouTube channel discussing various topics like spirituality, traditional relationships, unconventional diets, and his response to “The Man with 1000 Kids.”
On May 5th, he posted a video from Tanzania, explaining his decision to leave the Netherlands due to overpopulation concerns and his desire to be closer to nature.
In his latest upload on July 3rd, Meijer was seen on a beach in Zanzibar, off the coast of East Africa. He shared that he spent “over 50,000 hours” as a sperm donor until 2019, when he decided to cease donations to clinics.
