A California man, Jeffrey Ying, was sentenced last week for stealing a rare 17th-century Chinese manuscript from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). Ying, 39, pleaded guilty to art theft last October and received a sentence of time served, which accounts for approximately one month in jail, along with one year of home confinement and three years of supervised release, according to the South China Morning Post.
The String of Thefts at UCLA
The thefts linked to Ying began in 2020 when he checked out two Chinese manuscripts from UCLA using the alias Alan Fujimori. In 2024, he borrowed six additional manuscripts under the name Jason Wang, and in 2025, he checked out eight more. Some of these valuable manuscripts were never returned, while others were replaced with counterfeit versions.
An investigation launched by UCLA’s library revealed that the same individual had checked out the missing manuscripts after reviewing surveillance footage. Authorities have yet to confirm if the stolen manuscripts have been recovered.
Details of the Arrest
According to the US Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California, Ying traveled to and from China within days of the thefts. He was arrested in August 2025 and charged with stealing approximately $216,000 worth of rare and historical Chinese manuscripts. Notably, he was not charged for the earlier thefts.
Ying, a resident of Fremont, was staying at a hotel in Brentwood, a neighborhood near UCLA. A search of his hotel room uncovered blank manuscripts and paperwork mimicking the style of the books he had previously checked out, along with pre-made labels known as asset tags that could be used to create 'dummy' books to return in place of the originals.
Impact on UCLA Library
The incident has raised significant concerns regarding the security of rare manuscripts in academic institutions. The UCLA library has since implemented a series of measures to enhance its monitoring and tracking systems for valuable items. The theft of such cultural artifacts not only represents a financial loss but also a significant blow to the preservation of history.
- Ying's Sentencing: Time served, one year of home confinement, and three years of supervised release.
- Thefts Timeline:
- 2020: 2 manuscripts under Alan Fujimori
- 2024: 6 manuscripts under Jason Wang
- 2025: 8 manuscripts borrowed
- Estimated Value of Stolen Manuscripts: $216,000
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