Five Arrested After Teen Sold Kidney For iPad
A teen in China went great lengths to get his new iPad. A Chinese student, identified only by his surname Wang, sold his kidney in order to buy a new iPhone and iPad.
The BBC reports that five people have been arrested for the black market deal, including the surgeon that removed the boy’s kidney last April. According to State-run Xinhua, the group received $35,000 when they sold the kidney. The boy was paid around $3000. The boy’s mother found out about the illegal transaction after she noticed her son walking around with the new gadgets.
The 17-year-old student, who was reportedly recruited for the black market sale via an online chatroom, is now suffering renal failure.
The Age reports that iPads and iPhones are very popular in China but they are too expensive for most workers to afford. China also has a very high demand for organs. According to the health ministry, China has about 1.5 million people who need transplants but only about 10,000 are performed annually.
The surgeon, a local hospital contractor, and three others who brokered the deal, have been charged with intentional injury. It is unclear who purchased the boy’s kidney or if they will be charged as well.
