While Netflix has come under legal trouble over Baby Reindeer, the American streaming giant is facing more trouble but this time for its newly released documentary- The Man with 1000 Kids. One of the most awaited docuseries The Man with 1000 Kids was released on Netflix on July 3, 2024, and ever since then, it has been buzzing on social media. Directed by Josh Allott, The Man with 1000 Kids is a docuseries based on a real-life Dutch YouTuber Jonathan Jacob Meijer who went on to become a serial sperm donor and exceeded the sperm donation limit. Netflix docuseries The Man with 1000 Kids interviews four couples and a single woman who gradually discover that their sperm donor has fathered hundreds of children (approx 1000 if going by Netflix title). Now, the question arises who is real-life Jonathan Jacob Meijer or who is the sperm donor on which The Man with 1000 Kids is based? Below is all about Jonathan Jacob Meijer-
Who is Jonathan Jacob Meijer?
Jonathan Jacob Meijer, 43, is professionally a Dutch musician and YouTuber who allegedly has hundreds to thousands of children worldwide through sperm donation. Jonathan Jacob Meijer's inspiration behind sperm donation after speaking with a friend who could not have children. One year later in 2007, Jonathan Jacob Meijer signed himself in a sperm donation bank.
Jonathan Jacob Meijer was quoted by a British media saying, "At first it was really great. I knew that the people who got my sample would be super happy, and they’d create a family. That’s something meaningful and real."
Notably, Jacob did not hide his identity when he became a 'serial sperm donor'. He started posting videos on his social media handles and therefore messages poured in from women in lesbian relationships, single women, and women in relationships with infertile partners.
Jonathan Jacob Meijer came under the scanner after parents in the Netherlands noticed that their children, conceived with the help of sperm donors, look strangely similar. Later, it was found that Jacob had donated sperm all over the world. Families quickly become fearful of the potential dangers to future generations if half-siblings unknowingly have children together.
Finally, in 2023, Jonathan Jacob Meijer was banned from sperm donation to fertility clinics by the Hague District Court in his home country after it was revealed that he had fathered over 500 children.
The Court strictly said that for each violation, he must pay a fine of €100,000 (Rs 90.41 lakh) if he donates again.
Why Jonathan Jacob Meijer is threatening to sue Netflix?
As per reports, the docuseries has shown an anonymous sperm donor who claimed on the Netflix show that Meijer and another man identified only as Leon ran a website called “Longing for a Child” to try to father as many children as possible. The anonymous donor claimed that Meijer and Leon mixed their sperm samples to play “sperm roulette” to see what the child would look like.
However, Jonathan Jacob Meijer has denied this claim. Jacob was quoted saying, "I never ran a website, there is no evidence of that. I had my advertising on this very website during the first few years of my fundraising (2008-2014)...What Leon did is unclear to me, I met him 4-5 times in my life, and he passed away two years ago."
"I will take legal action for defamation, this is truly insane! I will take legal action not only for the mixing but also for some other claims," added Jacob.