Los Angeles, CA (AHN) -- Two California men were indicted on federal felony charges Friday, accused of dealing in human body parts. Authorities say the former head of the University of California, Los Angeles' cadaver program, Henry Reid, 58, sold the cadavers and body parts that were donated to the program to business man Ernest Nelson, 50, who then sold the parts to medical, pharmaceutical and hospital research companies.

Nelson is said to have made over $1 million.

According to the Associated Press, both men plead not guilty to the eight charges they are accused of, including conspiracy to commit a crime, grand theft and grand theft of personal property.

UCLA's faculty and staff newspaper, Today, reported that the crime was brought to the attention of university authorities in 2004 when Nelson wrote a letter threatening a law suit if he didn't receive payment from UCLA for body parts he had to return to the school, saying his business had been harmed when he was unable to deliver those parts to his clients.

The letter prompted medical school officials to investigate the program, which had been supervised by Reid since 1997. Once they determined that there seemed to be foul play in the program, they contacted UCLA police, who began their official investigation in March 2004.

The AP reported that the criminal business relationship between the two men was from 1999 until 2004. Both men were released on their own recognizance until a May 30 bail hearing.

http://www.allheadlinenews.com/articles/7010981792