China: Over 4,000 Bodies Sold in Multi-Million Dollar Corpse Scheme | Firstpost America

Summary

A scandal in China has exposed the illegal sale of over 4,000 corpses meant for cremation to biomaterial companies, generating $53 million in revenue over eight years. Involving funeral homes, doctors, and state-owned enterprises, the scheme saw corpses turned into bone grafting materials, violating ethical guidelines and exploiting grieving families. The case came to light in 2023 after an audit of a hospital faculty member's earnings, leading to the seizure of biomaterial products and assets linked to the trade.

Takeaways

• 🔍 A scandal in China has been exposed involving the illegal trafficking of over 4,000 human corpses meant for cremation.
• 🏥 The bodies were sold to two major biomaterial companies, Shanxi Ostad Biomaterial and Sichuan Henu Technology, which are linked to the state.
• 💰 The illegal trade generated nearly $53 million in revenue over eight years, from 2015 to 2023.
• 🧑‍⚕️ The scheme implicated funeral home managers, doctors, and company shareholders across at least seven provinces.
• 📦 The corpses were processed into bone grafting materials, used in medical procedures.
• 🏚️ Funeral homes in Yunan, Giju, Sichuan, and the Chongqing municipality were involved in the illegal trade, charging for cremation services but selling the bodies instead.
• 💼 Unclaimed bodies were selected for the illegal trade, and in some cases, bodies were purchased from funeral homes by a staff member at Guan Medical University.
• 📋 Shanxi Ostad staff fabricated documentation to bypass regulatory oversight and cover their tracks.
• 🚨 The scandal was uncovered in September 2023 by China's National Audit Office during an investigation into irregular earnings of a faculty member.
• 🚔 Authorities seized over 34,000 biomaterial products, 18 tons of semi-finished goods, nearly 16 properties, and at least 29 vehicles related to the illegal trade.
• 👨‍⚖️ All 75 suspects have admitted to their roles, and a lawyer who exposed the nationwide trade has been removed from his position at a Beijing law firm.

Q & A

What is the scandal mentioned in the script about?

The scandal involves the illegal trade of over 4,000 human corpses that were supposed to be cremated but were instead sold to biomaterial companies, generating millions in revenue.

How many years did this scheme reportedly span?

The scheme is reported to have spanned over eight years, from 2015 to 2023.

Which two major biomaterial companies were implicated in the scandal?

Shansi Ostad Biomaterial and Sichuan Henu Technology were the two companies involved in the illegal trade of human corpses.

What was the revenue generated from the illegal sale of these corpses?

The illegal trade generated nearly $53 million in revenue.

What role did funeral homes play in this scheme?

Funeral homes charged families for cremation services but instead sold the corpses to hospitals for dissection and storage, and then to the biomaterial companies.

Which provinces were involved in this scheme?

The scheme spanned at least seven provinces in China, including Sichuan, Yunan, Giju, and the Chongqing municipality.

How were the corpses obtained by the companies?

The corpses were collected from funeral homes, and in some cases, unclaimed bodies were chosen for the illegal trade.

What was the role of the staff member at the anatomy department of Guan Medical University?

The staff member purchased at least 450 corpses from three funeral homes, paying around $125 per body, which were then sold to Shansi Ostad for up to $400 each.

What actions did Shansi Ostad staff take to cover their illegal activities?

Shansi Ostad staff mishandled the corpses and fabricated necessary documentation to bypass strict regulatory oversight governing the use of cadaveric tissue for medical purposes.

How did the scandal come to light?

The scandal was uncovered in September 2023 when China's National Audit Office began investigating the irregular earnings of a faculty member at a teaching hospital, leading to the discovery of the broader scheme.

What actions have been taken by the authorities in response to the scandal?

Authorities seized over 34,000 biomaterial products, at least 18 tons of semi-finished goods, nearly 16 properties, and at least 29 vehicles linked to the illegal trade. All 75 suspects involved have admitted to their roles.

What was the consequence for the lawyer who blew the whistle on the trade?

The lawyer who exposed the nationwide trade in stolen and dismembered corpses has been removed from his position as director of a Beijing law firm.

Outlines

00:00

🔍 Uncovered: China's Illegal Corpse Trade Scandal

A shocking scandal has been exposed in China involving the illegal trafficking of over 4,000 human corpses meant for cremation. Instead, these bodies were sold to two major biomaterial companies with state ties, Shanxi Ostad Biomaterial and Sichuan Henu Technology, generating nearly $53 million in revenue from 2015 to 2023. The corpses were dissected and transformed into bone grafting materials. The scheme implicated funeral homes, doctors, and a state-owned enterprise across seven provinces, with unclaimed bodies and those paid for cremation services being secretly sold for dissection and storage. The anatomy department of Guan Medical University and a transplant surgeon at Ching Da University were involved in purchasing and selling these bodies. The companies also fabricated documentation to evade regulatory oversight. The scandal was revealed in 2023 by China's national audit office during an investigation into irregular earnings of a faculty member, leading to the seizure of over 34,000 biomaterials products, 18 tons of semi-finished goods, and numerous properties and vehicles. All 75 suspects have admitted to their roles, and a lawyer who exposed the trade has been removed from his position.

05:00

🌳 India's Commitment to Environmental Sustainability

The script shifts focus to India, highlighting a project aimed at environmental sustainability and the planting of trees as a symbol of humanity's commitment to the Earth. The 'One Tree for Humanity' initiative is presented as a news8 network project, emphasizing the importance of diverse perspectives on pressing issues. The summary also mentions the T20 World Cup and a greeting from South Africa, indicating a broad range of topics covered by the news network. The segment concludes with a statement of gratitude to the audience for making First Post a strong community of 5 million, promising to continue delivering unfiltered and unbiased news.

Keywords

💡Scandal

A scandal refers to a situation or event that is thought to be morally or legally wrong and that people talk about a lot. In the context of the video, the scandal involves the illegal trade of human corpses, which is a significant ethical and legal violation, highlighting a dark aspect of China's medical industry.

💡Illegal Trade

Illegal trade is the exchange of goods or services that is against the law. The video discusses an illegal trade where human corpses, instead of being cremated, were secretly sold to biomaterial companies, which is a clear violation of legal and ethical standards.

💡Biomaterial Companies

Biomaterial companies are organizations that deal with materials that interact with biological systems for medical applications. In the script, two such companies, Shanxi Ostad Biomaterial and Sichuan Henu Technology, are implicated in the illegal acquisition and processing of human corpses for bone grafting materials.

💡Cremation

Cremation is the process of burning a corpse to ashes, which is a common funeral practice. The video script reveals that over 4,000 bodies meant for cremation were instead sold, indicating a betrayal of the expected funeral service.

💡Bone Grafting

Bone grafting is a surgical procedure where bone is moved from one site to another to repair defects or treat diseases. The script mentions that the corpses were turned into bone grafting materials, which were then used for this medical purpose, generating revenue illegally.

💡Revenue

Revenue refers to the income that a company receives from its business activities. The video reports that the illegal trade of corpses generated nearly $53 million in revenue over eight years, indicating the scale of the unethical business practice.

💡Dissection

Dissection is the process of cutting up a dead body to study its internal structure. In the context of the video, dissection was used to prepare the corpses for the production of biomaterial devices, which is a misuse of the medical process.

💡State-Owned Enterprise

A state-owned enterprise is a business enterprise where the state has ownership or control. The script implicates a state-owned enterprise in the scandal, suggesting that the illegal activities had connections to the government.

💡Anatomy Department

The anatomy department typically refers to a division within a medical school or university that focuses on the study of the structure of the body. The script mentions that a staff member from an anatomy department was involved in purchasing corpses for the illegal trade.

💡Documentation

Documentation refers to the written or printed records of information. The video describes how Shanxi Ostad staff fabricated documentation to bypass regulatory oversight, which is a critical part of the scandal as it allowed the illegal activities to continue undetected.

💡Ethical Guidelines

Ethical guidelines are principles or rules that provide a standard for behavior, especially in professional contexts. The script highlights that the illegal trade of bodies violated strict ethical guidelines that govern the use of cadaveric tissue for medical purposes, emphasizing the moral implications of the scandal.

💡Whistleblower

A whistleblower is a person who exposes secretive information or activity within a private or public organization that is deemed illegal, unethical, or not correct. The video mentions a lawyer who blew the whistle on the nationwide trade, indicating the role of individuals in uncovering such scandals.

Highlights

A scandal in China involving the illegal trade of human corpses has been exposed.

Over 4,000 bodies meant for cremation were secretly sold to biomaterial companies.

The companies, Shanxi Ostad Biomaterial and Sichuan Henu Technology, are linked to the state.

The corpses were used for bone grafting materials, generating millions in revenue over eight years.

The scheme involved funeral homes, doctors, and a state-owned enterprise.

The scandal spanned at least seven provinces and implicated dozens of suspects.

Funeral homes charged for cremation services but sold corpses instead.

Unclaimed bodies were selected for the illegal trade in some cases.

A staff member at Guan Medical University purchased 450 bodies for the trade.

Shanxi Ostad paid around $125 per body and sold them for up to $400 each.

A transplant surgeon processed and sold at least 10 bodies to Shanxi Ostad.

Shanxi Ostad staff fabricated documentation to bypass regulatory oversight.

The scandal was revealed in 2023 by China's National Audit Office investigating irregular earnings.

Authorities seized over 34,000 biomaterial products and significant assets related to the trade.

All 75 suspects involved admitted to their roles in the scheme.

A lawyer who exposed the trade was removed from his position at a Beijing law firm.

The scandal highlights ethical issues and exploitation in China's medical industry.

The use of cadaveric tissue in medical procedures is typically governed by strict ethical guidelines and donor consent.

Transcripts

and now in China a shocking Scandal

involving the illegal trait of human

corpses has been uncovered instead of

being cremated over 4,000 bodies were

secretly sold to two major biomaterial

companies which are tied to the state

the corpses were then dissected and

turned into bone grafting materials

generating millions of dollars in

Revenue over a span of eight years the

scheme involving funeral homes doctors

and a state-owned Enterprise has exposed

a dark side of China's medical industry

here's our report with

more in northern China prosecutors have

uncovered a disturbing decade long

scheme involving the illegal sale of

corpses meant for cremation this scheme

spanning at least seven provinces has

implicated dozens of suspects including

Funeral Home managers doctors and

Company

shareholders at the center of this

shocking case are two companies shansi

ostad biomaterial and Sichuan henu

technology from 2015 to 2023 these

companies illegally obtained more than

4,000 corpses generating nearly $53

million in

Revenue the Cabas were collected from

funeral homes across various localities

and were then dissected stored and

eventually processed into biomaterial

devices used in bone grafting procedures

the scheme was not limited to just the

companies funeral homes in the

southwestern provinces of unan giju and

Sichuan as well as in the Chongqing

municipality played a crucial

role these funeral homes charged

families for cremation services but

instead sold the corpses to hospitals

for dissection and storage in some cases

unclaimed bodies were chosen for the

illegal trade

a staff member at the anatomy Department

of Guan Medical University purchased at

least 450 corpses from three of these

funeral homes paying around

$125 per body the bodies were then sold

to shansi ostad for up to $400

each in another instance a transplant

surgeon at the affiliated hospital of

Ching da University processed and sold

at least 10 bodies to the company

earning between $1,400 and $3,000 per

Corps shansi ostad staff not only

mishandled the cavers but also

fabricated the necessary documentation

to cover their tracks this allowed them

to bypass strict regulatory oversight

that typically governs the use of

cadaveric tissue for medical

purposes the Scandal came to light in

September 20123 when China's national

audit office began investigating The

Irregular earnings of the good in

teaching Hospital's faculty

member this probe led to the discovery

of the broader scheme prompting

authorities to seize over 34,000

biomaterial products at least 18 tons of

semi-finished goods nearly 16 properties

and at least 29 Vehicles linked to the

illegal

trade as of last week Chinese

prosecutors confirmed that all 75

suspects involved in the scheme have

admitted to their roles and a lawyer who

blew the whistle on a nationwide trade

in stolen and dismembered corpses has

been removed from his position as

director of a Beijing Law

Firm the exposure of this decade long

scheme highlights a troubling aspect of

China's medical industry while the use

of cadaveric tissue in medical

procedures is common it's typically

governed by strict ethical guidelines

and donor

consent the illegal trade of bodies in

this case not only violated these

principles but also exploited grieving

families and unclaimed deceased

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