What you need to know
- A Queens man is accused of administering acupuncture without a license, causing a patient to suffer a collapsed lung, the local district attorney’s office said.
- Yong De Lin, 66, of Flushing, was indicted Monday on four counts of first- and second-degree assault, first-degree reckless endangerment and unauthorized professional conduct, Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz said.
- During the investigation, it was discovered that Lin was not a licensed acupuncturist and had never applied for the required state license.
A Queens man is accused of administering acupuncture treatments to patients without qualifications that caused their lungs to collapse, the local district attorney’s office announced.
Yong De Lin, 66, of Flushing, was indicted Monday on four counts of first- and second-degree assault, first-degree reckless endangerment and unauthorized professional conduct, Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz said.
Lin’s next court appearance is scheduled for Wednesday. If convicted, he could face up to 25 years in prison, Katz said.
Lin’s legal counsel information is not available at this time.
According to a complaint cited by the District Attorney’s Office, the charges relate to an incident that occurred last year.
On May 10, 2022, a 63-year-old woman, Shujuan Jiang, reportedly visited C&W Medical on Union Street in Flushing seeking help relieving stomach and back pain, where she was referred to Lin. Six days later, on May 16, Jiang visited again, where Lin allegedly performed acupuncture treatments on her stomach and back. She returned for 16 more treatments between May 18 and October 28, 2022.
The complaint cited by the district attorney states that during the final acupuncture treatment, Jiang felt unwell after the treatment and lay down. After receiving additional acupuncture and cupping treatments, Jiang was reportedly sent home.
According to the lawsuit, Jiang was on her way home when she felt short of breath and collapsed on the sidewalk. A passerby then called 911 and Jiang was rushed to the hospital, where it was determined that both of her lungs had collapsed as a result of the acupuncture treatments. Jiang had to undergo immediate surgery to save her life and was hospitalized for six days.
The difference between receiving medical care from a competent, licensed professional and one who is not licensed can be the difference between life and death.
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz
During the investigation, it was discovered that Lin was not a licensed acupuncturist and had never applied for the required state license.
“The difference between receiving care from a competent, licensed professional and one who is unlicensed can be the difference between life and death,” Katz said in a statement. “As alleged, the defendants were not licensed, had not even applied to be licensed, and nearly caused a patient’s death. I urge other victims to come forward.”
The district attorney’s office is asking anyone who has received acupuncture treatment from Lin, who worked at a clinic in Flushing, to contact the Elder Fraud Unit at 718-286-6578.
