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Body Parts Trafficking

A class action lawsuit has been filed in a case of body parts trafficking by two Brooklyn, NY families over the harvesting of body parts from deceased loved ones. The suit names several funeral homes and four men allegedly involved in the body parts trafficking scheme.

The suit is seeking unspecified damages for emotional distress, misrepresentation, fraud and other wrongs on behalf of more than 1,000 families. The body parts trafficking scandal led to indictments in February.

Named as defendants in the class action are Michael Mastromarino and his company, Biomedical Tissue Services, Ltd., as well as embalmer Joseph Nicelli, Lee Crucetta and Christopher Aldorasi.

Selling body parts is illegal, but traffickers can charge for shipping and handling. Doctors engaged in research maintain the demand for bodies and parts far outstrips the supply, raising prices and encouraging a growing number of body-parts entrepreneurs.

In the body parts trafficking black market, there are usually three places where tissue, organs and bone can be illegally procured: university programs; hospitals and county morgues that perform autopsies; and crematories and funeral homes.