A New York City man has been charged with performing acupuncture treatment without a license after puncturing a woman’s lung during the treatment and sending her to the hospital for emergency surgery, prosecutors said.
Yong De Lin, 66, was charged Monday with four counts of providing unauthorized treatment to 63-year-old Jiang Shujuan between May and October last year, Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz said. was indicted on criminal charges.
According to the indictment, on May 10, 2022, Jiang, 63, went to a clinic in the Flushing section of Queens to get relief from abdominal and back pain and was referred to Lin.
Over the next few months, Lin performed 17 treatments on Jiang, Katz said, even though she was not a licensed acupuncturist and had never even applied for a New York state acupuncturist license.
Katz said in a news release that Jiang began feeling unwell during his last session on Oct. 28. Katz said in a news release that Lin performed additional acupuncture and cupping treatments and sent Jiang home.
Mr. Jiang collapsed on the sidewalk on his way home, Mr. Katz said. A bystander called 911 and Jiang was taken to the hospital, where it was discovered that both of her lungs had collapsed due to the effects of the acupuncture treatment. Life-saving surgery was performed on her, and Jiang was hospitalized for six days.
“The difference between receiving care from a competent licensed professional and an unlicensed professional can be the difference between life and death,” Katz said, adding that “you are putting your patient at risk.” I almost killed him,” he added.
Lin was charged with first- and second-degree assault, first-degree reckless endangerment, and unauthorized professional conduct. He is scheduled to appear in court on Wednesday.
Lin’s attorney, Kathleen Gallo, did not immediately respond to a voicemail requesting comment Tuesday.
