(Pt 5) Strange "kidnapping" of a Chinese exchange student (opens in new tab)

Eight days before he was reported missing on Dec 28, 2023, 17-year-old Chinese exchange student Kai Zhuang was stopped by police while hiking in the mountains in Utah\. At the time, it seemed puzzling\. But investigators now believe he may have been following instructions\. In cyberkidnapping cases, victims are often told to isolate themselves while their families are contacted for ransom\. Receipts found in his room show he had bought camping gear days before his disappearance — but nothing ...