Yanyan Lesser, Transmitted Threat to Injure, New York 2019

Grimy Times

A 47-year-old East Aurora woman has been arrested and charged with attempting to hire a hitman to maim her ex-boyfriend, authorities announced yesterday.

Yanyan Lesser, 47, of East Aurora, NY, was arrested and charged by criminal complaint with transmitting in interstate or foreign commerce a communication containing a threat to injure another person. The charge carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison and $250,000.

‘TREE I,’ a pseudonym used by Lesser, allegedly used a dark web site to conspire with an unknown individual to commit a crippling assault on the victim, G.Z., living in Orlando, Florida. According to the complaint, Lesser directed what was believed to be a hitman to break G.Z.’s bones and leave him permanently confined to a wheelchair or crutches.

‘TREE I’ also instructed the hitman to make the assault look like a robbery, stating, ‘give him a good beating and legs broken, waist broken and even cripple the mark of his legs. It need to be looks like a robbery, looks like To rob of his money or property, NOT looks like revenge.’

Lesser allegedly transferred approximately 1.26 Bitcoin (BTC) (approximately $4,577.51 cash) to a BTC wallet address in the control of the dark web site to facilitate the assault. On February 19, 2019, ‘TREE I’ conducted another transfer of approximately .694 BTC (approximately $2,707.95 cash) to the same BTC wallet address to further the request.

Subsequent investigation, including a review of cell phone and bank records, determined that ‘TREE I’ is the defendant, Yanyan Lesser. Yanyan will make an initial appearance at 2:00 p.m. this afternoon before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jeremiah J. McCarthy.

The investigation was conducted by Homeland Security Investigations Buffalo, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Kevin Kelly. Additional assistance was provided by HSI St. Paul, Minnesota, and HSI Orlando, Florida.

‘The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.’

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