Chinese student found in US woods after ‘cyber kidnapping’ scam

LOS ANGELES: A Chinese exchange student who fell victim to a “cyber kidnapping” scam in which his parents were extorted for $80,000, was found alive but “cold and scared” in a tent in the Utah wilderness, police said.

Kai Zhuang, age 17, was reported missing on Thursday after his parents in China told officials at his host high school in Riverdale, Utah that he appeared to have been kidnapped and a ransom had been requested.

The case followed a typical pattern for cyber kidnapping, in which “kidnappers” tell a victim to isolate and provide pictures of oneself as if being held captive -- photos that are then sent to the victim´s family to extort a payment. The victims comply under the belief their family will otherwise be harmed.

After analyzing bank records, purchases and phone ping records in a days-long search, police became convinced he was isolating in a tent some 40-kms north in a large area near Brigham City.

“Due to the cold weather in Utah this time of year, we became additionally concerned for the victim´s safety in that he may freeze to death overnight,” the Riverdale Police Department said in a press release after he was found Sunday.

A sergeant hiking on foot up a mountainside discovered Kai´s tent -- which had no heat source but only “a heat blanket, a sleeping bag, limited food and water and several phones that were presumed to be used to carry out the cyber kidnapping,” the department said.