Gary Dudek of Wallingford, Pa was arrested last week on charges of theft and receiving stolen property. The charges themselves are unremarkable but it is what was stolen that makes this story interesting. Dudek has been accused of stealing over $350,000 of human skin.
Dudek worked as a "tissue-regeneration specialist" for Organogenesis, a Massachusetts firm that specializes in regenerative medicine. Between November 2011 and July 2013 he ordered more than 200 skin grafts for Mercy Hospital which they never received. This managed to go unnoticed due to the fact that he had been given an “open purchase order” which allowed him to requisition whatever was “needed”. Since the hospital was always stocked, the physical shortage wasn’t caught. The hospital only became aware of the theft during a financial audit.
Making things even more bizarre, nobody knows exactly what was done with the stolen skin. Perhaps he is making a skin suit?
One thing is clear, he wasn't selling them on eBay. The only human tissue they allow sold is brains.