Library cards and faux copies - US man sentenced in elaborate theft of 17th century Chinese literature
Summary
A California man named Jeffrey Ying was sentenced after stealing rare 17th-century Chinese manuscripts from the UCLA Library. He returned fake copies made using false library cards and equipment to copy the original books.Key Facts
- Jeffrey Ying pleaded guilty to stealing a 17th-century Chinese manuscript from UCLA.
- He used fake names on library cards, including Jason Wang, Alan Fujimori, and Austin Chen.
- Ying rented rare books from UCLA, then returned counterfeit copies he made himself.
- The theft happened between December 2024 and July 2025, involving items valued at around $216,000.
- Ying traveled between the U.S. and China shortly after the thefts.
- Authorities found blank manuscripts and paperwork in his hotel used to create fake books.
- He was sentenced to about one month in jail, one year of home confinement, and three years of supervised release.
- UCLA previously allowed public library card access online without government ID, which made it easier to check out rare materials.
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