A 17-year-old man has died after he attempted to gold plate his genitals in a bid to celebrate his 15th year as an illegal occupant of the United States without deportation.
Nazario Conchuza Gonzalez, was a member of the infamous MS-13 gang, in Los Angeles also known as Mara Salvatrucha.
Gonzalez, nicknamed Pelotas De Oro, which means Golden testicles, was allegedly a huge fan of the 2002 American comedy movie, Goldmember, a loose parody of the James Bond films Goldfinger.
So he decided to take his nickname to the practical realms without knowing that it would cost him his life.
According to reports, Dr. Ian Joseffson of the Los Angeles Community Hospital warns that the growing trend of gold plating the genitals among gang members is very dangerous.
He said, “I have no idea where this idea comes from but plating one’s own genitals will only ultimately end in serious medical complications or even death, as we have seen in this case.
“This is the third case this year, but we have had many occurrences in hospitals in the region these past years. It seems to be a growing trend within the gang member community.”
Meanwhile, some experts trace the history of the trend to the prehistoric Mesoamerican cultures, like the Mayans who painted parts of their bodies with gold paint as an offering to the gods and self empowerment at the same time.
