JERUSALEM (JTA) — Two Jerusalem residents, one a former Hadassah hospital employee, were arrested for allegedly facilitating organ donation deals.
Sammy Shem-Tov, 67, a former employee of Hadassah-Ein Kerem, and Dmitry Orenstein were arrested Sunday at the hospital, according to reports. A gag order on the case was lifted Thursday.
The men allegedly mediated between buyers and sellers of kidneys, according to reports.
At least 10 Israelis, most in financial difficulty, agreed to donate a kidney, Ynet reported. Donors were found through magazine advertisements.
Shem-Tov and Orenstein made tens of thousand dollars on each transaction, according to reports.
Selling organs is illegal under Israel’s organ transplant law that went into effect last year.
