Who is Jonathan Jacob Meijer, the sperm donor from Netflix’s The Man with 1,000 Kids?

The Netflix docuseries details how Jonathan Jacob Meijer told those who used him as a donor that he had only helped a handful of families. But as parents in the Netherlands realise their children born using sperm donors look oddly similar, it becomes clear that wasn’t the case. It later emerges he has been donating sperm around the world.

The families quickly become fearful of the potential dangers to future generations if half-siblings unknowingly have children together.

A man identified as John, one half of a couple who used Meijer, said on the show: “We thought, ‘Oh f***. What if these children meet each other and maybe have a connection or fall in love and they don’t know they are related?’ That’s when the real panic started. That’s when we saw the real danger of this.”

Here’s what we know about Jonathan Jacob Meijer.

Jonathan Jacob Meijer was banned from donating sperm in the Netherlands

In April 2023, Meijer, who is around 43, was banned from donating sperm to fertility clinics by the Hague District Court in his native Netherlands, after it emerged he had fathered over 500 children, The Independent reported. He will be fined €100,000 (US$108,160) for every violation if he donates again.

During the court proceedings, the judge asked Meijer about the incest concerns. He suggested that his children should use a symbol on social media as a way of avoiding incest.

A woman from Australia identified as Kate in the documentary, who used Meijer’s sperm, told the show that his court statement shocked the mothers involved with the case.

“It was a horrible suggestion. A lot of children may not want to display a symbol. A lot of those children may want to maintain their privacy,” she said.