LOS ANGELES
A San Francisco Bay Area man has been charged in a federal criminal complaint with stealing approximately $216,000 worth of rare and historical Chinese manuscripts from a university library system, the Justice Department announced this week.
Jeffrey Ying, 38, of Fremont—also known as “Jason Wang,” “Alan Fujimori,” and “Austin Chen”—is charged with theft of major artwork, a felony carrying a maximum sentence of 10 years in federal prison.
Ying, currently in state custody, is expected to make his initial appearance in United States District Court in Los Angeles in the coming days.
According to an affidavit, between December 2024 and July 2025, Ying checked out rare manuscripts from the university’s library, kept them for several days, and returned expertly crafted dummy copies in place of the originals. Investigators allege he often traveled to and from China within days of the thefts.
The investigation began when library staff discovered several rare manuscripts missing. Records showed the last person to view them was “Alan Fujimori.” Due to their value, the works are not in general circulation and must be specially reserved and checked out.
A search of Ying’s Brentwood hotel room uncovered blank manuscripts, paperwork matching the stolen books, and pre-made asset tags identical to those on the originals—materials prosecutors say were used to create convincing dummies.
When Ying was arrested Monday, agents found a fraudulent California identification card in the name “Austin Chen” and library cards for both “Austin Chen” and “Jason Wang.”
The FBI’s Art Crime Team, with assistance from UCLA Police, is leading the investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Mark A. Williams of the Environmental Crimes and Consumer Protection Section is prosecuting the case.
A criminal complaint contains allegations. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.