A woman has filed a lawsuit against her former partner, accusing him of defrauding her of $410,000 under the pretense of investing the funds securely.
According to the complaint filed by plaintiff Sijia Li, she and defendant Andy Shu developed a close friendship that became an intimate relationship by 2022. During this period, Shu allegedly expressed romantic intentions and persuaded Li to transfer substantial sums of money to him for investment purposes. Shu, who holds advanced degrees from institutions including Harvard University and Northwestern University's Pritzker School of Law, is said to have presented himself as an experienced financial advisor capable of managing stock market investments on her behalf.
The complaint alleges that instead of investing the funds, Shu misappropriated the money for his own use. Despite multiple requests from Li for a financial accounting or return of the funds, Shu allegedly did not comply. In March 2023, he reportedly informed Li that the money had been lost, without providing details regarding its use or whereabouts.
Li seeks relief for claims including fraud, conversion, breach of fiduciary duty, and unjust enrichment. She is pursuing the return of the $410,000, along with treble damages and reimbursement for legal fees and related costs.
The plaintiff is represented by attorney Ben Kinzler of Kinzler Law Group PLLC. The case was filed in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York under case ID 1:25-cv-03774.