Found Safe UT - Kai Zhuang, 17, international student, 28 December 2023 *ransom demand*

[Knox]

Missing Riverdale foreign exchange student found near Brigham City in case of ‘cyber kidnapping’​

BRIGHAM CITY, Utah (ABC4) — A missing and endangered 17-year-old Chinese foreign exchange student has been located and returned to his family, according to Riverdale City Police.

Missing Riverdale foreign exchange student found near Brigham City in case of ‘cyber kidnapping’

A missing and endangered 17-year-old Chinese foreign exchange student has been located and returned to his family, according to Riverdale City Police.

www.abc4.com

 

[fridaybaker]

No mention of tracking down these utter scum. If they get away with it, they’ll just continue to do this. They need 10 years, hard labor. I’m so sick of these animals who pray on other people. Very disheartened.

 

[AnyNameIWish]

Well done, law enforcement! So thankful to local LE and everyone working to help out this kiddo... scary thought, this type of crime has NOT been on my radar.

I also love that he requested a warm cheeseburger . Hugs to the kid, I have a similarly aged teen so this tugs at my heart.

 

[Marysmith]

Missing Riverdale foreign exchange student found near Brigham City in case of ‘cyber kidnapping’​

BRIGHAM CITY, Utah (ABC4) — A missing and endangered 17-year-old Chinese foreign exchange student has been located and returned to his family, according to Riverdale City Police.

Missing Riverdale foreign exchange student found near Brigham City in case of ‘cyber kidnapping’

A missing and endangered 17-year-old Chinese foreign exchange student has been located and returned to his family, according to Riverdale City Police.

www.abc4.com

Oh wow! So glad he’s ok and hope they catch the culprits!

 

[AnyNameIWish]

I've been reading up about this but I still don't understand how this works?

How does "cyber kidnapping" work?

Snippet from above

"Chinese students in the U.S./Canada are accused of committing a crime by someone claiming to be a Chinese government official. They are told they need to go into hiding to protect their family. Meanwhile, the parents are told their child was kidnapped and are sent a ransom."

I guess I'm a huge skeptic of anything I get online, I would SO not trust any such message and report this to authorities immediately!

 

[RickshawFan]

There was a lady that spent 5 months up Spanish Fork canyon and was found alive. Everyone was quite surprised.

Woman Missing for Months Found Alive at Utah Campground After Relying on Grass, Moss to Survive

Though the 47-year-old woman "had lost a significant amount of weight and was weak," authorities praised her as "resourceful"

people.com

Yes, I remember this incident. Amazing, really.

The Spanish Forks campground I’m referring to is a “developed campground” (running water and restrooms; sometimes electricity, and even sewage disposal), and it’s next to a busy highway. National Forest Servicd, if I remember. You could easily hitch there. When I drove by, I could see down into the campground. It’s next to a river.

Even if the Spanish campground were busy, you could hide in plain sight. This time of year, it’s likely to be RV’S in transit. Who would notice?

 

[RickshawFan]

There was a lady that spent 5 months up Spanish Fork canyon and was found alive. Everyone was quite surprised.

Woman Missing for Months Found Alive at Utah Campground After Relying on Grass, Moss to Survive

Though the 47-year-old woman "had lost a significant amount of weight and was weak," authorities praised her as "resourceful"

people.com

Wow, whatever poster had this idea upthread is a genius at speculating!

 

[Limecat]

Awesome news! Love a happy ending.

 

[Andieinsyd]

So glad he has been found. Dotr you were right on the money. More people that know about extortion the less they can succeed MOO

 

[katydid23]

 

[dotr]

Missing Chinese exchange student, 17, is found 'very cold and scared'

Chinese exchange student Kai Zhuang, 17, was discovered in the Brigham City Canyon area on Sunday night after he was last seen early Thursday morning. Police believe he was 'cyber kidnapped.'

www.dailymail.co.uk

Kai Zhuang, 17, was discovered in the Brigham City Canyon area on Sunday night after he was last seen at around 3:30am on Thursday

Riverdale Police Chief Casey Warren said that Zhuang was 'manipulated and controlled' by 'cyber kidnappers' who made him believe that his family in China was threatened and that they had paid a ransom amount of $80,000.

 

[ch_13]

Missing Riverdale foreign exchange student found near Brigham City in case of ‘cyber kidnapping’​

BRIGHAM CITY, Utah (ABC4) — A missing and endangered 17-year-old Chinese foreign exchange student has been located and returned to his family, according to Riverdale City Police.

Missing Riverdale foreign exchange student found near Brigham City in case of ‘cyber kidnapping’

A missing and endangered 17-year-old Chinese foreign exchange student has been located and returned to his family, according to Riverdale City Police.

www.abc4.com

Interesting detail from the article:

On Dec. 20, Provo Police reported they had met Zhuang attempting to go camping nearby, but they were worried for his safety and arranged to have him taken back to Riverdale. Though Zhuang did not tell Provo Police at the time, investigators say he was already being manipulated by the cyber kidnappers.

So he tried to hide a week prior and was sent back to Riverdale.

 

[ch_13]

No mention of tracking down these utter scum. If they get away with it, they’ll just continue to do this. They need 10 years, hard labor. I’m so sick of these animals who pray on other people. Very disheartened.

From what I've read about these kinds of cases, the 'kidnappers' are actually inside China. It is really incumbent on the Chinese authorities to find and arrest them. But who knows how well protected they are and who they are paying off.

It seems they are targeting the children of the wealthy, which could indicate that they have reliable sources of information within the government.

 

[caradana]

So glad and relieved that he’s found. Hoping he gets connected to help understanding what has happened, here in the US.

 

[dulcinea]

I think it's important to keep in mind that the Chinese government does not operate the same way our system does (or is supposed to). If you are a Chinese citizen, you might be more inclined to go along with a scam for fear that something is going to happen to you based on how you understand your government to operate.

 

[dotr]

rbbm.

Riverdale missing student found safe after case of ‘cyber kidnapping,’ police say

A 17-year-old foreign exchange student was found safely after "cyber kidnappers" convinced the student to camp in the mountains outside Brigham City and shoot a ransom photo for himself, police said.

www.sltrib.com

'' The students were told their families in China were threatened unless they did what they were told. Via FaceTime or Skype, the students were told to isolate themselves and take photos that looked like they were being held captive, which were then sent to the family with a ransom note.''

“Do not send money, discontinue contact with the suspects, and contact police immediately,” Warren said. “I want foreign exchange students to know they can trust police to protect them and to work with police to ensure their safety as well as their family’s safety abroad.”

 

[AnyNameIWish]

Chinese students in the U.S./Canada are accused of committing a crime by someone claiming to be a Chinese government official. They are told they need to go into hiding to protect their family. Meanwhile, the parents are told their child was kidnapped and are sent a ransom.

If you are a Chinese citizen, you might be more inclined to go along with a scam for fear that something is going to happen to you based on how you understand your government to operate.

@dulcinea - you bring up such an important point. Chinese national who are here on temporary (not green card) visas likely have phones from home, which are likely closely monitored by The Government- there's no way around it for this kid, unless a local gives him his own cell phone under Verizon or other US carrier.

This became an issue when FangJin went missing (subsequently found deceased, months later) in the desert, it was so unclear what CA authorities knew about her location/cell phone pings immediately after her disappearance, or if Chinese Government would have known.
In that case since she was an adult, the Chinese authorities were not involved, it seems, in her search.

 

[pbj]

<modsnip> He tried to camp December 20th, but police turned him back to Riverdale. Wouldn't he have told the police of the situation? He's being told to make it look in photos that he is being held by captors, yet there are no captors? Seems fishy. Did he have access to the bank accounts where money was being placed?

 

[Barbara Ann Wilson]

I'm so glad he was found safe.

 

[dotr]