Fake Twin Towers 'victim' jailed

Leung tried to benefit from the 11 September tragedy

A Hong Kong man who faked his own death in the 11 September attacks on the World Trade Center in New York has been sent to prison for four years.

Steven Chin Leung posed as a non-existent brother to try to obtain a death certificate for himself to persuade authorities to drop a charge brought against him in Hawaii for passport fraud.

Thousands died in the attacks - but not Steven Chin Leung

He fabricated an e-mail to show he was working in the World Trade Center for Cantor Fitzgerald, a brokerage which lost more than 650 employees in the disaster.

New York judge Denny Chin condemned the "complete selfishness" of Leung and said he was guilty of "despicable conduct".

Had Leung appeared for the passport charge, he might have been sentenced to probation if found guilty, Judge Chin said.

But he ended up being jailed for four years by Judge Chin - 18 months longer than the term recommended in federal guidelines.

Harsh term 'deserved'

The Associated Press news agency reported that the prosecutor, Neil Barofsky, had asked for a stiff penalty, saying that Leung had caused a lot of work for authorities at a time when New York was in crisis.

He did take advantage... he did so in a callous and calculated manner

Prosecutor Neil Barofsky

He said Leung deserved a harsh sentence for his "extraordinary efforts to take advantage of a national tragedy".

Both towers of the World Trade Center in Manhattan collapsed after planes were flown deliberately into them on 11 September, 2001.

More than 2,800 people died in the twin towers in the attacks, known across the US as 9/11.

The prosecutor said of Leung: "He did take advantage of 9/11 - he did so in a callous and calculated manner."

Leung, who admitted his guilt in June, told the judge he was "very sorry for what I did".