(Pt 1) Strange "kidnapping" of a Chinese exchange student (opens in new tab)

On Dec 28, 2023, 17-year-old Chinese exchange student Kai Zhuang was reported missing from his host family’s home in Utah\. Hours later, his parents in China received a ransom demand — along with a photo showing him bound and in distress\. Police began investigating what appeared to be a kidnapping\. But inside the house, there were no signs of forced entry or struggle\. Surveillance footage later showed Kai leaving the house alone in the early morning\. His case is not an isolated incident\....