What you need to know
- A Queens man is accused of administering acupuncture treatments without a license that caused a patient’s lung to collapse, according to the local district attorney’s office.
- Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz said Yong De Lin, 66, of Flushing, was charged Monday with first- and second-degree assault, first-degree reckless endangerment and unauthorized use of a license. He said he was charged with four counts of professional conduct.
- During the investigation, it was determined that Mr. Lin was not a licensed acupuncturist and had never applied for the required state certification.
A Queens man is accused of administering acupuncture treatments without a license that caused a patient’s lung to collapse, according to the local district attorney’s office.
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz said Yong De Lin, 66, of Flushing, was charged Monday with first- and second-degree assault, first-degree reckless endangerment and unauthorized use of a license. He said he was charged with four counts of professional conduct.
Lin’s next court appearance is scheduled for Wednesday. If convicted, he faces up to 25 years in prison, Katz said.
Information about Lin’s attorney is not available at this time.
The charges are related to an incident that occurred last year, according to the charges cited by the District Attorney’s Office.
It was May 10, 2022, when Shujuan Jiang, a 63-year-old woman, reportedly visited C&W Medical on Union Street in Flushing for relief from stomach and back pain. It was there that she was introduced to Mr. Lin. Jiang returned six days later, on May 16, and Lin performed acupuncture on her stomach and back. She returned for 16 more treatments between May 18 and October 28, 2022.
The charges cited by the district attorney go on to say that it was during the final acupuncture treatment that Jiang felt unwell after the treatment and laid down. Jiang reportedly underwent additional acupuncture and cupping treatments before she returned home.
According to the suspects, Jiang began feeling short of breath on the way home and collapsed on the sidewalk. Later, a bystander called 911 and Jiang was taken to the hospital, where it was determined that both of her lungs had collapsed due to her acupuncture treatment. She had to undergo immediate surgery to save her life and she was hospitalized for six days.
The difference between receiving medical care from a competent, qualified professional and an unqualified professional can be the difference between life and death.
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz
During the investigation, it was determined that Mr. Lin was not a licensed acupuncturist and had never applied for the required state certification.
“The difference between receiving medical care from a competent, licensed professional and an unlicensed professional can be the difference between life and death,” Katz said in a statement. I didn’t have one and didn’t even want to apply.” When he asked for his license, he nearly killed the patient. We urge other victims to come forward. ”
The District Attorney’s Office is asking anyone who received acupuncture treatment from Lin, who worked at the Flushing clinic, to contact the Elder Fraud Unit at 718-286-6578.
