California Man Charged Stealing $216K Rare Chinese Manuscripts From UCLA

Jeffrey Ying, a 38-year-old man from Fremont, California, has been charged with stealing rare Chinese manuscripts valued at $216,000 from the University of California, Los Angeles library by using multiple aliases to check out the works, some over 600 years old. Ying allegedly returned forged or dummy copies in place of the originals and frequently traveled to China shortly after the thefts, raising suspicions. Authorities found blank manuscripts, asset tags used for creating fakes, and fraudulent identification cards during a search of Ying's hotel and possessions. The investigation was initiated after the library noticed missing rare manuscripts that were last viewed by a visitor using the name "Alan Fujimori," an alias linked to Ying. Ying faces a felony charge for theft of major artwork, which carries a potential sentence of up to 10 years in federal prison, and the FBI is working with UCLA Police Department on the case. The rare manuscripts are normally restricted to on-site viewing due to their value and uniqueness, and the case highlights ongoing concerns over cultural heritage theft tied to the booming Chinese art market.