A Los Angeles hospital provided liver transplants to Japanese gang figures, including one of Japan's most powerful gang bosses, during a period when hundreds of area patients died while awaiting transplants, according to a report.

Four surgeries were performed at UCLA Medical Center between 2000 and 2004.

There is no indication UCLA knew any of the patients had ties to yakuza.

Tadamasa Goto, who had been barred from entering the United States because of his criminal history, was the most prominent transplant recipient. He leads a gang called the Goto-gumi.