Air China employee, linked to Macau billionaire in ‘UN bribes’ case, faces her own mysterious legal woes

An employee of Air China, who came onto the radar of US authorities as they probed Macau billionaire Ng Lap Seng amid accusations that he bribed a UN General Assembly president, is now facing mysterious legal troubles of her own.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation earlier this month searched the home of Ying Lin, seizing 100 items, including computers and jewellery, her lawyer said last week at a hearing in federal court in Brooklyn, New York.

The search comes eight months after Lin, a US citizen, was charged with structuring deposits at two banks in amounts less than US$10,000 to evade currency transaction reporting requirements over a five-year period beginning in August 2010.

At the April 12 hearing, Assistant US Attorney Alexander Solomon, who belongs to a national security and cyber crime unit, said prosecutors may bring more charges based on the search against Lin, who has pleaded not guilty.

The exact nature of the probe into Lin could not be determined. No claims have been made involving Air China, where Lin has worked for 14 years and is its Newark station manager.

Lillibeth Bishop, a spokeswoman for the state-run carrier, in a statement said it was “Air China’s policy not to comment on matters that involve the US federal authorities.”