LOS ANGELES >> The owner of a Glendora egg donation and surrogacy company pleaded guilty Thursday to wire fraud for misappropriating clients money for her own personal gain, officials said.
Allison Layton, a 38-year-old former Glendora resident now living in Utah, entered the guilty plea in federal court in Los Angeles, U.S. Department of Justice spokesman Thom Mrozek said in a written statement. She also sometimes uses the name Allison Jarvie.
Would-be parents paid tens of thousands of dollars to Layton for the services of Miracles Egg Donation between AUgust of 2008 and January of 2012, Mrozek said. But instead of setting the money aside for costs related to the services, Layton spent the money herself and used it to cover unpaid costs of other clients.
As a result, Egg donors, surrogates, attorneys and others were not paid for all of the services they provided, Mrozek said.
“More than 40 victims lost more than $270,000,” he said.
Layton faces up to 20 years in federal prison when she returns to court for sentencing May 28.