CRIME
Officials Warn Of ‘Cyber Kidnapping’ After Foreign Exchange Student Targeted In Utah
Riverdale City Utah
Authorities are warning the public about so-called cyber kidnapping after a Chinese foreign exchange student was found cold and alone in the mountains as part of an extortion scheme.
The Riverdale Police Department in Utah said they were contacted on Dec. 28 by the parents of high school foreign exchange student Kai Zhang, 17, who reported he had been kidnapped. His parents, who live in China, also contacted his school in the U.S.
According to police, Zhang’s parents said they received a photograph purporting to show that their son had been abdducted, along with a ransom demand.
Officers responded to the residence of his host family, who had no idea he was missing and reported last hearing him at home in the early hours of Dec. 28, police said.
Zhang’s parents told police that after repeated threats from the supposed kidnappers, they transferred approximately $80,000 to bank accounts in China.
Riverdale police coordinated with the FBI, the U.S. embassy in China and Chinese officials to locate Zhang, and learned of a disturbing criminal trend called cyber kidnapping. The cyber kidnappers target young foreign exchange students, convincing them their families abroad are in danger, coercing them to self-isolate and produce photos or videos that appear to show them in danger.
During the course of their investigation, Riverdale police learned that Zhang had been stopped by Provo police on Dec. 20 attempting to camp. Concerned for his safety, Provo police returned him to Riverdale.
Police believe the cyber kidnappers were already attempting to control and isolate Zhang at that time, though he didn’t report that to Provo police. Riverdale police were unable to locate his camping gear, and bank records indicated he had visited the area of Brigham City canyon.
“We believed the victim was isolating himself at the direction of cyber kidnappers in a tent. Due to the cold weather in Utah at this time of year, we became additionally concerned for the victims safety in that he may freeze to death overnight,” Riverdale police said in a statement.
Riverdale police and the Weber County Sheriffs Office Search and Rescue Drone team conducted an overnight search for Zhang’s campsite, and located him Sunday in a wooded area on the side of a mountain near Brigham City.
Zhang was sheltering in a tent with a heat blanket, sleeping bag, and limited food and water, police said. He was alive but very cold and scared, police said. He was also relieved to see the police.
He also had several phones “that were presumed to be used to carry out the cyber kidnapping.
“The victim only wanted to speak to his family to ensure they were safe and requested a warm cheeseburger, both of which were accomplished on the way back to Riverdale PD,” police said.
The investigation is ongoing.
TMX contributed to this article.
