A New York City man has been charged with performing acupuncture without a license after injuring a woman

A man from New York City faces charges for illegally conducting acupuncture after a procedure he performed caused a woman’s lungs to collapse, necessitating emergency surgery, as reported by the authorities.

Yong De Lin, 66, faced legal proceedings on Monday, charged with four criminal counts for practicing acupuncture without a license on Shujuan Jiang, 63, from May to October of the previous year, as per Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz.

Jiang, seeking relief for stomach and back discomfort, visited a medical facility in Queens’ Flushing area on May 10, 2022, where she met Lin, the indictment states.

Over several months, Lin provided Jiang with 17 acupuncture sessions, despite lacking a license or having ever sought one in New York state, as Katz disclosed.

During her final treatment on October 28, Jiang felt unwell, leading Lin to perform more acupuncture and a cupping procedure before sending her home, Katz reported.

Jiang collapsed outside her home, prompting an emergency call and her subsequent hospitalization. It was discovered that the acupuncture had caused both her lungs to collapse, necessitating life-saving surgery and a six-day hospital stay.

Katz emphasized the critical difference between treatment from a licensed professional versus an unlicensed individual, noting that Lin “very nearly killed his patient.”

Lin faces charges of first and second-degree assault, first-degree reckless endangerment, and unauthorized practice of a profession, with a court return scheduled for Wednesday.

Attempts to contact Lin’s lawyer, Kathleen Gallo, for comments were unsuccessful as of Tuesday.