Organ trafficking does not just occur in third world countries, but also in the United States. Levy Izhak Rosenbaum, a 58-year-old member of the Orthodox Jewish community in the Borough Park section of Brooklyn, spent a decade mastering the buying and selling of organs. He was finally caught by the government, which is explained in the news article, “first case of organ trafficking in the U.S.”? Rosenbaum orchestrated his organ sales by finding donors in Israel and flying them to the United States. Then he would pay them ten thousand dollars for a kidney and sell the new organ to an American for 160,000 dollars. He claimed that he was helping people and making a positive influence. The author of the article, David Porter, wrote that, “Levy Izhak Rosenbaum called himself a "matchmaker," but his business wasn't romance.” In a way Rosenbaum is trying to play god while changing people’s lives. Even if his actions are saving lives and helping people, they are illegal. Since 1987 federal law has said that it is illegal to buy or sell organs for transplant. It is not just illegal in the United States but also almost everywhere else around the world. Rosenbaum has power in the community and with money and therefore was able to get away with this for almost ten years. He had strong acquaintances with lawyers and doctors who made it possible for him to complete the transactions. Power gives people control and allows them to find ways to go against the law and in many cases get away with it.
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