Three San Francisco residents have been arrested and charged for allegedly filing false applications for disabled person placards, prosecutors said Monday.
Guobin Qin, 29, Qiaoyun Chen, 50, and Yessi Morales, 35, were arrested following an investigation by the state Department of Motor Vehicles after it received anonymous tips, according to the San Francisco District Attorney’s Office.
The three had each allegedly received a placard by using fake doctors’ signatures and diagnoses on their applications, prosecutors said.
Chen and Qin, a mother and son, are suspected of naming a doctor who they claimed was treating them for lung disease. Investigators made contact with the doctor, who had no record of the illness for the pair, according to the district attorney’s office.
In a separate investigation, Morales allegedly submitted seven false applications over four years, prosecutors said.
Two doctors listed on her applications claimed to have never treated her, according to investigators.
The disabled parking placard allows those with physical disabilities to park in spots with a sign of the wheelchair symbol, also known as the International Symbol of Access.
Those with the placard are also allowed to park by a blue curb and any metered parking spot without pay and without time constraints.
The trio was charged with filing false documents, perjury and commercial burglary. Qin and Chen were also charged with forgery, according to the district attorney’s office.
Morales was arraigned on July 3 and Qin and Chen will be arraigned on Thursday.
Jamey Padojino, Bay City News
