By Jan Ransom
In Manhattan’s Financial District, where luxury buildings attract affluent professionals and international tenants, a troubling subletting scam has quietly flourished—one that exploits both vulnerable renters and the very rules designed to protect them. At the center of it is Yu Yan, a Chinese immigrant who presents herself as a “prominent artist” while secretly running a fraudulent operation. In reality, she is a struggling artist—someone who has allegedly turned to scams to make ends meet.
Yu Yan’s scheme was built on the illegal subletting of apartments in high-end FiDi buildings—luxury residences that explicitly prohibit subletting under the terms of their leases. These buildings enforce no-subletting clauses to ensure security, control, and financial integrity within their properties. Yet despite acknowledging these terms in her lease agreements, Ms. Yan repeatedly broke them, renting out apartments to unsuspecting tenants without the property owners’ knowledge.
Presenting herself as the owner of the apartments, Ms. Yan turned to Facebook Marketplace and Facebook Messenger to lure tenants into what they believed were legitimate sublets. The tenants, many of whom were international students or young professionals unfamiliar with New York City’s housing market, paid substantial upfront fees for rent and furnishings—items she falsely claimed were hers but were, in fact, part of the unit’s advertised package.
Despite claiming to be a prominent artist, Ms. Yan is in fact a struggling immigrant without the means to acquire or furnish such high-end properties. Her use of the “artist” label was simply a guise, offering a façade of legitimacy to her fraudulent scheme. The reality is that Ms. Yan has relied on deception rather than her artistic career to make a living, exploiting the trust of tenants and the legal system to extract as much money as possible.
Throughout tenants’ stays, Ms. Yan would occasionally visit the apartments to remove personal belongings, such as plants, artwork, and furniture. This further reinforced the illusion of ownership, leading tenants to believe she had the legal right to access the units. Because she posed as the owner, tenants complied with her requests, unaware they were being taken advantage of.
However, the most sinister part of her scheme came after tenants vacated the apartments, often due to the expiration of student visas or job contracts. Once the tenants left, Ms. Yan escalated her fraud by filing baseless claims in small claims court, accusing the tenants of stealing her furnishings or damaging the apartment. These claims were unfounded, as many of the furnishings had been part of the upfront rent payments made by the tenants. Unable to attend court hearings due to being abroad and missing legal deadlines, these victims were left vulnerable to default judgments, which Ms. Yan allegedly used to garnish their wages or drain their bank accounts.
What is perhaps most alarming is that illegal subletting was an issue from the outset. The leases Ms. Yan signed with property owners specifically prohibited subletting. From the moment she agreed to rent out the apartments—whether directly or by masquerading as the property owner—she was in clear violation of the building’s rules. These sublets were illegal from the point of their creation, breaching both the lease terms and the trust placed in her by the building management.
Yu Yan’s actions expose a deeper vulnerability in the rental market, particularly for international renters. These tenants, unfamiliar with the local housing laws and often unable to afford legal representation, were easy prey for Ms. Yan’s scam. Many of her victims were foreign nationals, unaware of the intricacies of New York’s rental laws, which made them more susceptible to exploitation. As rents continue to rise and the rental market becomes more competitive, unscrupulous individuals like Ms. Yan can more easily prey on those looking for affordable housing in an unfamiliar environment.
This case also highlights a critical flaw in digital platforms like Facebook Marketplace, which are increasingly used for housing transactions. With little to no verification of ownership or leasing rights, these platforms can become a breeding ground for fraudulent schemes, leaving renters with few avenues for recourse once they’ve been duped.
Additionally, the use of Facebook Messenger provided Yu Yan with a further advantage: the ability to manipulate communications with ease. The platform allows users to unsend messages and block other parties, making it difficult for tenants to preserve the evidence needed to challenge her claims. If a tenant started to catch on to the scam or began to question her, Ms. Yan could easily delete key communications or cut off contact entirely, leaving tenants with no proof of the original agreement or any conversations that might have contradicted her false claims. This manipulation of digital communication adds a layer of complexity for tenants seeking justice or proof of fraud.
The exploitation of both tenants and the legal system is not just a breach of trust; it is a direct violation of housing laws that protect both property owners and residents. Ms. Yan’s actions underscore the need for stronger enforcement of subletting policies and a crackdown on fraudulent activity that threatens the integrity of New York’s housing market. Property owners, management companies, and online platforms must be held accountable for ensuring that sublet agreements are legitimate and that renters are not exposed to exploitation.
The case of Yu Yan serves as a cautionary tale for both the rental industry and prospective tenants. Illegal subletting is not a minor infraction—it is a serious violation with consequences for everyone involved. For renters, particularly international ones, understanding your rights is crucial. For property owners and management companies, it is essential to implement stronger measures to monitor and enforce leasing policies that prevent fraud.
Ultimately, this case exposes the vulnerability of both immigrant populations and international tenants who may not fully understand the complexities of U.S. housing law. As New York City’s rental market continues to evolve, ensuring that subletting clauses are respected and tenants are protected from scams must remain a top priority.
