In April 2011, Wang Shangkun was 17 years old, living in Anhui Province, China, and wanted an iPhone 4 and iPad 2. He couldn’t afford them. While browsing online chatrooms, he was contacted by a kidney agent.
He said yes.
Without telling his parents, Wang traveled to Hunan Province where an illegal surgery was carried out by two doctors who were also employed at local hospitals. The procedure was performed in unsanitary conditions with no post-operative care provided. Wang received around $3,500, bought his iPhone and iPad, and went home.
His mother noticed the devices immediately and demanded to know where he got the money. He told her the truth.
At the time, Wang was unconcerned about what he’d done. “Why do I need a second kidney?” he said. “One is enough.”
He was wrong.
Within months, infections set in. The remaining kidney’s function dropped to around 25%. Wang developed renal insufficiency, a condition that has progressively worsened over the years. He now survives on daily dialysis and has been described as bedridden for life.
What Wang didn’t know when he agreed to the deal was the full extent of how he had been exploited. The organ trafficking ring that recruited him sold his kidney for approximately $35,000. Wang received $3,500, roughly 10% of what his kidney was actually worth on the black market.
Nine people connected to the operation were eventually jailed, including the surgeon who performed the procedure and the ringleader He Wei, who had been described as “penniless and frustrated over gambling debts” and was actively recruiting vulnerable teenagers in chatrooms.
He Sold a Kidney for an iPhone and iPad—Then Paid the Price for Years
