UK Surgeon Jailed After Self-Amputation Insurance Scam and Extreme Pornography Conviction

Dr. Neil Hopper had his legs cut off because of his sexual obsession with amputation and to scam insurers, prosecutors said

A UK surgeon who orchestrated a bizarre insurance scam by deliberately amputating his own legs has been jailed for fraud and possessing extreme pornography.

Dr. Neil Hopper, 49, a former vascular surgeon, submerged his legs for eight hours in a mixture of ice and dry ice, causing such severe damage that amputation was required. He then falsely claimed to insurers that he was suffering from sepsis. Prosecutor Nicholas Lee told Truro Crown Court that Hopper’s actions were driven by both greed and a “sexual obsession with amputation.”

The British surgeon pocketed more than $600,000 as part of the scam

Hopper admitted two counts of insurance fraud and three counts of possessing extreme pornography. His fraudulent claims to two insurers totaled more than £466,000 ($625,000), which he used to purchase a motorhome, fund home improvements, install a hot tub, and buy gifts for his wife.

Before his scheme, Hopper had performed hundreds of amputation surgeries for the National Health Service, where he was once a respected doctor. His case stunned colleagues and loved ones, particularly after it was revealed that he also purchased videos from EunuchMaker, an extreme body modification website whose founder, Marius Gustavson, was sentenced last year to at least 22 years in prison for leading a global body mutilation ring.

Hopper submerged his legs in ice and dry ice for eight hours so they would have to be removed, while claiming he had caught sepsis

Hopper had long struggled with body dysphoria, describing his feet as “unwelcome extras” and a source of “never-ending discomfort,” his defense attorney Andrew Langdon told the court. While Hopper said he bitterly regretted deceiving insurers, he admitted he did not regret undergoing the amputations. He also acknowledged the difficulty of hiding the truth from family and friends, who had shown him overwhelming support after his operation.

Despite losing both legs, Hopper returned to work within six months, fitted with prosthetic limbs. He also appeared on television, apparently enjoying the media attention surrounding his amputation story.

The General Medical Council struck him from the medical register in December 2023. On Thursday, he was sentenced to 22 months in prison for fraud and 10 months for possessing extreme pornography, to be served consecutively for a total of 32 months.

Hopper had a “sexual obsession” with amputation, and bought videos from an extreme pornography website specializing in body modification