Guide Note

Michael Mastromarino ran a scheme to cut up corpses and sell the parts for operations and research. Some of the bodies he used were diseased. He plead guilty to charges of reckless endangerment, enterprise corruption and body stealing. Mastromarino was sentenced to 18-54 years in prison on June 27, 2008.

Fast Facts

1. 44-years-old
2. Former dentist
3. Numerous British patients received stolen bones and other material from the body snatching scheme¹
4. Scheme worth: $4.6 million²
5. Funeral home owners (New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey) were paid $1,000 for each corpse—some of them diseased³
6. Corpses sold included that of Masterpiece Theatre host Alistair Cooke
7. June 12, 2008: Mastromarino apologized to families of victims during New York court appearance
8. Sentenced to 18-54 years on June 27, 2008

The scheme involved Michael Mastromarino arranging the harvesting of human tissue from funeral homes, forging donor consent forms and then selling the material for use in medical research and transplants. Lee Cruceta, who was also a participant in the scheme, pleaded guilty to conspiracy in the case. Christopher Aldorasi was charged with enterprise corruption.

Some bodies had PVC pipes sewn back into them to disguise the thefts - in time for open casket wakes.

At a June 12, 2008, court hearing, Mastromarino offered an apology to families of his victims, telling them he was sorry for the "pain and grief" he caused.¹

"I would like to take this opportunity to apologize for all the pain I've caused. I am truly sorry. May God have mercy on my soul."—Michael Mastromarino⁴