Con Man Sentenced for Defrauding Chinese Immigrants

By MACKENZIE GANTER

 A Chinese-born man who pleaded guilty to scamming dozens of Chinese immigrants and illegally collecting money from government assistance programs on Tuesday was denied his request to serve no jail time.

Dao Feng Lin, 52, copped a plea in June to various welfare fraud charges in exchange for an agreement that he  be sentenced to only six months in jail and  five months probation along with a number of other conditions.

During his sentencing in Manhattan Supreme Court, Lin’s lawyer requested that he serve only the five months probation and not spend any time in jail, considering that Lin has paid back the $46,000 he collected in Medicaid, vacated his apartment, and met all other conditions.

Judge Charles H. Solomon denied Lin’s request.

“If he wanted it differently he should have written it different,” said Solomon. “The defendant is sentenced as per the written agreement.

Over a year, Lin, a naturalized U.S. citizen, falsely represent himself as someone with the ability to assist Chinese immigrants with applications with work authorization and lawful status. He charged a reported amount of $1,350 per applicant, while never actually submitting any forms.

At the same time, Lin collected over $40,000 worth of Medicaid, which he was not entitled to, by falsifying his personal income on a federal benefit application.

“I paid all my money I owed. I need to go back to work to support my family,” said Lin, through an interpreter.

Lin was taken into custody after sentencing to serve his six-month jail time.