A new true crime documentary revisits the story of an amputee surgeon’s web of lies
Marius Gustavson was the mastermind of an extreme body modifications enterprise
A police investigation into human butchery and a monster known as the ‘Eunuch Maker’ is the centre of a new true crime documentary, and it makes for a disturbing watch.
An Amputation Obsession: The Monster and the Surgeon explores the real life story of NHS surgeon Neil Hopper who, in 2019, lost his own legs to amputation following what he said was a result of a mystery illness.
Upon returning back to work, Neil performed amputations as part of his role at the Royal Cornwall Hospital, and often took to social media and news outlets to share his own journey.
He even claimed over £466,000 in insurance payouts after he claimed his injuries were a result of sepsis, becoming somewhat of a national hero and symbol of hope. However, he hid a dark secret that nobody could have guessed.
His leg amputations were a result of self-inflicted injuries, meaning he fraudulently claimed insurance payouts. Not only that, but he was investigated for paying to access a website which sold videos of amputations.
The new documentary explores the disturbing case and Neil’s connection to the ‘Eunuch Maker’.
Who is ‘Eunuch Maker’ Marius Gustavson and where is he now?
The Metropolitan Police were looking into the ‘Eunuch Maker’ website which was run by Marius Gustavson. It offered pay to view access to chilling videos of extreme body modifications and mutilations on customers.
These extreme videos included the cutting the genitals off of men to make them ‘eunuchs’, which is a male who has been castrated. Marius was the ringleader, with the procedures often being carried out in his own home which would sometimes go wrong, meaning ambulances were called.
The programme hears from one journalist who says the nature of the evidence was “so extreme” and hard to hear, with Marius earning around £300,000 in profits from the site over a period of around four years.
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After a brave victim came forward, the website was eventually brought down and it was through this investigation that police learned about Neil Hopper’s own involvement and the dark reality about what really happened to his legs.
In May 2024, Marius appeared before the courts and issued a guilty plea to 13 offences including multiple counts of causing grievous bodily harm with intent. He was handed a life sentence with a minimum term of 22 years, meaning he will still be in prison now.
At the time, nine others also received sentences ranging from suspended sentences to 12 years imprisonment for their roles in the investigation.
An Amputation Obsession: The Monster and the Surgeon can be streamed on Prime Video