Who is Dr. Paolo Macchiarini, what did he do and where is he now?
11.12.2023 - 14:21
/ manchestereveningnews.co.uk
Netflix's latest true crime offering explores the life of disgraced Italian surgeon, Dr Paolo Macchiarini.
Once considered a pioneer in his field of thoracic surgery, Swiss-born Macchiarini invented a game-changing transplant operation involving plastic windpipes infused with stem cells. But his life began to unravel as it soon become clear not everything was as it seemed.
Macchiarini was treated like a celebrity and lived lavishly — but a pattern was emerging: His patients kept dying after their transplant surgeries. Macchiarini suggested this was just the nature of such an experimental surgery, but as the deaths stacked up — nearly all of his transplant patients died — skeptics began to investigate him.
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They uncovered evidence of misconduct, fraud, and manipulation. When journalists brought evidence to the prestigious Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, where Macchiarini worked, the institute negated the allegations and defended him.
Eventually, the allegations landed him in Swedish appeals court, where he was charged with aggravated assault and bodily harm against his former patients.
During his rise to fame in 2013, he crossed paths with NBC news producer Benita Alexander, who speaks out about her experience with Macchiarini in the Netflix series. Alexander was producing a documentary about the renowned surgeon when she began a love affair with him.
Macchiarini charmed Alexander, allegedly lying about being a surgeon to the stars - including the likes of Bill Clinton and Barack Obama. He supposedly planned a star-studded wedding, with