Levy Izhak Rosenbaum admitted in federal court that he had negotiated three illegal kidney transplants from people in Israel for U.S.-based customers in exchange for payments of $120,000 or more. His attorneys claimed that he performed a lifesaving service for people who would most likely not have survived, while the prosecutors claimed he affronted human dignity at the expense of desperate people. Under US law, it is illegal for anyone to knowingly buy or sell organs for transplant, and it is illegal just about everywhere else in the world. Demand for kidneys far exceeds the supply, with 4,540 people dying in the US last year while waiting for a kidney. As a result, there is a thriving black market for kidneys around the world. About one quarter of all kidneys appear to be trafficked, but until this case, it had not been a crime recognized as reaching the United States.
In the eyes of the government Levy Rosenbaum committed a crime that violated strict laws, formal norms, and morality. So much attention has been given to this case because it’s the first to appear in America, but in reality this type of black marketing happens all over the world. Technically no one was harmed during his services; in fact, people’s lives were saved. Would this be considered a victimless crime? Yes and no. Though Rosenbaum saved the lives of many he also took advantage of Israelis and Americans who were desperate for life and money. The real question is did he start this business because of a need to help others or for to capitalize on such an in-demand dealing? Either way the world, and now especially the U.S., recognizes that this is a sort of crime that will not be going away any time soon.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/world/news/article.cfm?c_id=2&objectid=10762241
2 comments:
I agree with you that this can be considered both a victimless crime and not. Even though all parties involved benefitted, one benefitted more than most, and I sincerely doubt he was doing the kidney dealing out of the kindness of his heart. Even though its extremely controversial, I'm just going to play devil's advocate and say that in situations like this, maybe the people using the black market don't have the wrong idea, maybe just the wrong method.
I would like to question his motives also; was he doing it to help others or was he really doing it to benefit him and his family. He was paying people and Isreal so little for their organs and he charged the Americans a fortune just to be able to get a transplant. He didn't care how some people were hurt from both sides of the situation he only was worried about the profit he would be making.
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