PhD holder jailed for selling skulls

A Chinese American with a PhD has been sentenced to 8 years jail for buying and selling human skulls.

Ding Wen, 44, was also fined 300,000 yuan ($44,000) by Beijing No 1 Intermediate Court on Sept 21, his lawyer Zhao Yunheng said yesterday.

Zhao said Ding began buying human skulls in 2004 at Panjiayuan Flea Market. He then contracted craftsmen to carve pictures on the skulls, and sold the carved ones overseas at higher prices.