China: Kid Sells Kidney For iPad: 7 Criminals Receive Jail Time For Their Part

[Clark]

http://www.idigitaltimes.com/articles/13177/20121130/kid-sells-kidney-ipad-7-criminals-receive.htm

Kid Sells Kidney For iPad: 7 Criminals Receive Jail Time For Their Part In Organ Transplant Scheme

The Chinese government really doesn't want people selling their organs to raise money for new Apple gadgets.

According to China's Xinhua News Agency, the state-run official press agency of the People's Republic of China, a number of criminals will now face several years behind bars for helping a 17-year-old student sell his kidney to buy an iPad 2 and iPhone last year.

Out of nine total defendants, seven now face lengthy jail sentences for their role in the removal and sale of the teenager's kidney. The two not facing jail time were found guilty as well, though they are apparently exempt from any sort of punishment as a result of facing lesser charges. The last fact is a bit surprising, largely because the report also claims that all nine were involved enough with the crime's planning/execution to claim a share of the profits.

The kidney transplant took place on April 28, 2011 in Chenzhou City, though the young man did not tell his family about his plans until his other kidney began to fail. Live tissue donations from anyone outside of one's immediate family are illegal in China, leaving about 1.5 million people in need of an organ, though it is estimated that only ten thousand transplant operations are performed in China annually. After the dust had settled, the 17-year-old kidney donor reportedly walked away with the equivalent of $3500, though it was quickly spent on a new iPad 2 and iPhone.

The surgeon responsible for removing the teen's kidney received a five year sentence, as did the man responsible for organizing the entire scheme; however, the other five criminals found guilty were given sentences between one and four years in length. All seven of those sentenced today reportedly received lighter punishments after paying approximately 1.5 million yuan ($240,900) to the student and his family prior to the trial's beginning.

The boy and his family also reportedly do not harbor any ill-will towards the men involved with the kidney transplant, something that Xinhua says the court took into consideration as well. Had the men not attempted to rectify the situation on their own, they could have faced the same punishment as those convicted of homicide in China.