Warning- bribery request
Warning: corruption, bribery request
I contracted with ArkCryo to transport my embryos from the U.S. to Cancun, Mexico. Anastasiia was very responsive and assured me they could professionally handle every step of the process. I was also told they had a customs broker who would obtain the required COFEPRIS permit for an additional $1,500, on top of the $5,500 transportation fee.
My clinic in the U.S. and my clinic in Mexico both promptly provided all requested paperwork to ArkCryo’s broker, Juan Pablo Barragan. After that, I was told for about a month that the VUCEM platform used to obtain the permit was unreliable, undergoing updates, or otherwise unavailable. Juan Pablo repeatedly told me that he and his team were attempting to submit the application twice a day.
I then received an email from Juan Pablo stating that he had spoken with authorities and was being pressured to pay a bribe. He specifically discussed corruption and explained that this was how things worked in Mexico. I responded that I would consider paying an additional legitimate fee if necessary.
A few days later, Juan Pablo informed me that the cost had increased from $1,500 to $3,500. He explained that the additional $2,000 would be used to “expedite” the process by paying people on the inside. I was shocked.
At that point, I refused to proceed. I was not willing to place myself in a situation where my embryos had left the clinic while I was being asked to fund what was described to me as a bribe. I was also concerned that agreeing to this could expose me to further demands for money.
I have emails documenting these communications.
When I raised my concerns with Anastasiia, she told me this was the only broker ArkCryo could work with. She then unexpectedly suggested that I ship my embryos to Colombia instead, even though my clinic was in Mexico. I found that suggestion completely unreasonable.
Based on my experience, I cannot recommend ArkCryo for embryo transport to Mexico. I encourage anyone considering their services to ask detailed questions about how customs clearance will be handled, who their broker is, and what additional costs could arise during the process.








