Hotel Mystery Unveiled in Las Vegas: Disappearance of Kidney Following Bathtub Encounter in Hotel Room
In the heart of Sin City, where the glitz and glamour of the Strip often overshadow the darker aspects of its history, one urban legend persists: the myth of businessmen waking up in ice-filled Las Vegas hotel bathtubs, with a note saying their kidney has been removed. However, this myth, like many others, has been busted.
The myth dovetails with Vegas' roots in organized crime and the lengths that Strip casino resorts go to prevent information about crimes and deaths on their premises from leaking to the media. Yet, a thorough search of credible public records and news sources has revealed no documented cases of illegal kidney harvesting specifically in Las Vegas or elsewhere in the United States.
While illegal kidney trafficking is a known criminal activity globally, often linked to organ trafficking networks, it is extremely rare and heavily prosecuted in the US. The first proven case of illegal kidney trafficking in the US occurred in 2011, with Levy Izhak Rosenbaum being convicted for securing kidneys for three Americans from Israeli donors in exchange for payments of $120K each.
The myth of the kidney theft in Las Vegas began spreading in 1991 via computer bulletin boards. By 2001, it was so widespread that the National Kidney Foundation asked anyone claiming to have had a kidney stolen in the US to contact them for help in documenting a case. Despite this, no such case has ever been documented in the US.
In fact, according to the organization, in 23 years, no one has contacted them with a documented case of kidney theft in the US. The myth initially set the scene in New York, but later switched to Las Vegas. Interestingly, the myth includes a detail of a note on a bathroom counter, which was not originally part of the story.
On the other hand, in 2008, seven people were arrested in the Indian city of Gurgaon for luring laborers into an underground medical clinic over a decade, promising jobs and then forcing them into donating kidneys for wealthy clients in various countries. Five people were convicted in the black-market kidney ring, with Dr. Amit Kumar and Dr. Upender Dublesh receiving seven years of "rigorous" imprisonment in 2013.
"Vegas Myths Busted" is a weekly series published on Mondays, with a bonus edition on Fridays, providing factual insights to debunk common misconceptions about Las Vegas. For those who suspect a myth needing busting, suggestions can be emailed to [email protected].
This article originally ran on Aug. 5, 2024.
