Surgeon with 'Sexual Interest In Amputation' Jailed After Having His Own Legs Cut Off

A UK surgeon who did numerous interviews in which he claimed his legs were amputated following a battle with sepsis will now spend more than two years in jail after the truth behind his surgery was revealed, as well as his collection of extreme pornography.

Neil Hopper, 49, of Cornwall has dubbed himself the "bionic surgeon" on Instagram, after he had two below the knee amputations in 2019. In a number of TV appearances, including a 2023 documentary, Hopper claimed he developed a "mysterious illness" and sepsis, leading to the tough decision to amputate both legs, per The Independent.

As his story gained more attention, he also got prosthetics and attempted to become an astronaut.

But, on Thursday, Hopper pleaded guilty to two counts of fraud by false representation -- admitting that he lied when he told insurers his injuries were the "result of sepsis and were not self-inflicted" and collected more than $600K.

In reality, he had actually used dry ice to freeze his legs, to the point they needed to be cut off.

Hopper also plead guilty to three charges of possessing extreme pornographic images, which connected him to a website called the "Eunuch Maker," where a man named Marius Theodore Gustavson reportedly "advertised extreme body modification services, including castration and penis removal." Hopper was identified after a previous investigation into Gustavson, who was jailed for life back in 2024.

In court, Hopper was accused of having a "sexual interest in amputation," with the judge claiming the "level of harm" in the footage was "exceptionally high," according to the BBC. The videos -- which reportedly did not include children -- showed men having their genitals removed, seemingly consenting to the procedure. Hopper also allegedly messaged extensively with Gustavson about his amputations, even providing details on the dry ice he used.

Prosecutor Nicholas Lee said Hopper's "motivations were a combination of obsession with removing parts of his own body and a sexual interest in doing so." Another attorney said Hopper "bitterly regrets" lying about why he had the operations, but not actually having them done -- claiming he felt his feet were an "unwelcome extra" and source of "never-ending discomfort" amid an ongoing battle with body dysmorphia.

The attorney also said Hopper was "totally overwhelmed by support from friends and family which made it even more difficult to tell them what had really happened."

Marius Theodore Gustavson was sentenced for his role in what officials called a "criminal network" of people conducting "extreme body modifications and illegal surgeries" in 2024.

Gustavson was named by the Metropolitan Police as the primary offender in the case and given life in jail, with a minimum 22-year term, after previously admitting to a number of charges -- including grievous bodily harm, as well as making, possessing and distributing an indecent photograph of a child.

According to police, an investigation into the network began in November 2020, after a victim was identified in North London. During the investigation, it was discovered Gustavson ran a website titled EunuchMaker.com, "where he advertised extreme body modification services, including castration and penis removal." Per cops, he also had his own production company and would film the "illegal mutilations and upload them to his site, which captured an international audience."

The website had nearly 23,000 users and brought in more than $300K between 2017 and 2021, reported Reuters.

Some of his victims -- who were allegedly willing participants -- were as young as 16, including one who was given electric shocks. Another victim said he had his testicles clamped, before Gustavson used an iron to brand him with the letters EM, for "Eunuch Maker" -- saying it was only after he realized that he was in need of a psychiatrist and not a "back-street surgeon."

"In at least three cases, the injuries inflicted on the victims were life threatening, with one victim coming close to losing his life due to blood loss," said police.

"Whilst the victims in this case all seemingly consented to surgeries and amputations, the victim who bravely reported his assault to the police expressed serious regret regarding his procedure and the lasting impact it has had upon him," said prosecutors, via The Guardian. "This clearly emphasizes why such practices are unlawful."

"On one occasion Gustavson cooked what appeared to be human testicles which were then plated to be eaten, and kept other body parts as 'trophies'," said Judge Mark Lucraft KC, while prosecutor Caroline Carberry KC said there was "clear evidence" of cannibalism. He also allegedly sold human tissue from his procedures.

In court (via BBC), defense lawyer Rashvinderjeet Panesar said Gustavson was "stable" while married from 2005-2016, but in 2017 had his own penis removed by one of his co-defendants, Damien Byrnes. He later had one of his legs amputated after submerging it in dry ice in 2019, as well as one of his nipples partially removed the same year. The modification became an "addiction," said Panesar, who added that Gustavson "wished to put a smile on other people's faces -- he wanted to help" with his operations.

Prosecutors, however, argued Gustavson "ignored the risks of performing unnecessary surgery on vulnerable men, for sexual gratification and financial gain" -- and said that while Gustavson's apparent "body integrity dysphoria" may have explained his own body modifications, it didn't excuse his actions on others.