Father And Son Accused Of Selling Body Parts Infected With HIV

A father and son have been charged for allegedly selling body parts on the black market they knew were contaminated with infectious diseases.

Donald Greene Sr was charged with wire fraud in relation to a years-long operation that involved selling diseased cadavers to unwitting researchers, the Associated Press reports.

His son, Donald Greene II, was charged with intentionally concealing a crime.

The family duo was associated with the Biological Resource Center of Rosemont, in Illinois, which provided human remains donated to science to medical professionals for a fee.

Although it is not illegal to dismember and sell body parts, it is against the law to knowingly sell human remains that test positive for infectious diseases, CBS Chicago reports.

In May 2018, Arthur Rathburn, a Michigan man who was associated with the scheme, was sentenced to nine years in prison.

Although Rathburn was accused of exposing people to infectious diseases, including HIV, hepatitis and sepsis, no illnesses have yet been reported in relation to the scheme.