By: Claire Sweetman
A former prosecutor in the Denver District Attorney’s office has been fired and disbarred for framing a colleague for sexual harassment.[1] According to the Denver Post, Yujin Choi was fired in November 2022 after an internal investigation into her sexual harassment complaint revealed that she had doctored phone records and text messages to falsely accuse her coworker. On December 31, 2024, the Office of the Presiding Disciplinary Judge, which handles professional discipline for Colorado attorneys, ruled that Choi’s dishonesty violated the profession’s ethical rules.
In 2022, an internal investigation conducted by the DA’s office found that Choi had created fake text messages, altered her cellphone records and destroyed her laptop and phone in an attempt to prove that her coworker had sexually harassed her.[2] Investigators ultimately pulled phone records directly from Verizon and discovered that Choi had texted inappropriate messages to herself and changed the name in her phone to make it appear as though her coworker had sent them to her, as well as altered her phone records. When the investigators sought to review her phone and laptop for additional evidence, Choi intentionally destroyed both devices, telling investigators that she dropped her phone in the bath and spilled water on her laptop.[3] Choi’s complaint was unsubstantiated, and her employment was terminated.
This was not the first complaint that Choi had raised against her colleague, however. In 2021, Choi had also accused her colleague of sexual misconduct, alleging that he had made an inappropriate sexual comment to her. An internal investigation “did not find enough evidence” to prove or disprove Choi’s complaint. In response, the DA’s office transferred the colleague to a different area and instructed him to avoid Choi, despite his insistence that he did not make the comment. The male colleague has now filed suit against the Denver DA’s office, claiming that the internal investigations were incomplete and improperly handled.[4]
There are several key takeaways from this incident. First, when doctorable evidence such as phone records or text message screenshots are at the forefront of an investigation, an organization should retain a forensic expert who is trained to analyze such electronically stored data. Second, when complaints of serious actionable misconduct (such as sexual harassment or discrimination) are raised, it is prudent for an organization to hire an external investigator to handle the investigation. External investigators are impartial, highly trained in workplace investigations, and lower the risk of bias. Hiring a third-party investigator protects the organization from claims of an improper investigation and helps the organization prepare for litigation.
[1] https://www.denverpost.com/2025/01/03/denver-district-atorney-disbarred-false-sexual-harassment-yujin-choi/?share=ronblmedddnanulwuxws
[2] Id.
[3] Id.
[4] Id.