Deadly dating
Nab in drug-tied web hookup
A BROOKLYN man has been charged with drug possession in the apparent liquid GHB-induced death of a man he met on a hookup app, sources said Tuesday.
Sze Yan, 45, who faces the charges, met 31-year-old Daniel Volpe on the gay site Grindr over the weekend, sources said.
They partied at Yan’s place Sunday night and both men took GHB, or Gamma hydroxybutyrate, along with Viagra, sources said.
Volpe started feeling ill, took a shower, got out, sat in a chair and collapsed in convulsions on the living room floor, sources said.
Yan called 911 just before 1 a.m. Monday. Volpe was rushed to Maimonides Medical Center but could not be saved, police said.
“Of course, this is a terrible tragedy,” Yan told the Daily News. “But I don’t think I should comment because it’s an ongoing case and I’m not sure what’s going to happen.”
Volpe’s father, Daniel Sr., said his son was a fund-raiser for a nonprofit organization.
“He was a wonderful, intelligent man, and very creative,” he said. Asked whether he has ill will against Yan, Volpe said, “My son was an adult. He could make his own decisions. I don’t know too much about the circumstances.”
Volpe also said he doesn’t yet know the cause of his son’s death.
“This is a very private time for our family,” he said.
Cops found GHB in a plastic container on a table in the apartment, according to the criminal complaint against Yan.
Yan, who said he works as an education consultant, was arraigned on misdemeanor drug possession charges Monday night and released without bail.
Prosecutors are mulling whether to upgrade charges against Yan in light of the victim’s death, sources said.
Known as a club and date rape drug, GHB is a central nervous system depressant that recreational users say can enhance libido and create feelings of euphoria.