NextSharkNextShark.com

FBI Now Looking for Suspects Behind Kidnapping of Chinese Car Dealer in California

FBI Now Looking for Suspects Behind Kidnapping of Chinese Car Dealer in California

August 21, 2018
SHARE
The FBI is asking the public for help in identifying three suspects believed to be behind the kidnapping of a Chinese car dealer in Los Angeles.
The incident took place on July 16 in San Gabriel when 28-year-old Liao “Tony” Ruochen, who owns a car dealership that sold luxury cars in Southern California, was kidnapped by three men.
The trio reportedly pulled up in two vehicles and abducted Ruochen after his evening meeting with several business associates, according to AP via South China Morning Post.
The suspects then called Liao’s family and demanded a ransom of $2 million, but they did not comply, said Gene Kowel, an FBI assistant special-agent-in-charge based in Los Angeles.
Subscribe to
NextShark's Newsletter

A daily dose of Asian America's essential stories, in under 5 minutes.

Get our collection of Asian America's most essential stories to your inbox daily for free.

Unsure? Check out our Newsletter Archive.

So far, the only person that authorities have identified is a man known only as “David.” The FBI believes that “David,” as seen in the sketch below, was involved in the kidnapping and attended the business meeting with Liao, according to the family’s lawyer, Matthew Lombard.
A poster for Liao’s case has also been released by the FBI for any tips or leads.
Investigators are also looking into the possibility that Liao was involved in business deals with people who “were not the most reputable,” Kowel said.
Our hope is that Tony is still alive. We’re operating under the premise that he is still alive,” Kowel said. “However, we do become concerned as these cases progress the chance of someone remaining alive can diminish.”
The family has not heard from the captors since their initial contact asking for ransom money about a month ago.
He is a deeply loved person by his family,” the family’s lawyer said. “He’s their only child and they are very, very concerned for him.”
Liao’s relatives in China are offering a reward of $150,000, in addition to the $25,000 from the FBI, to anyone with information about the case.
Images via FBI
MOST READ
    HAPPENING NOW
      Bryan Ke

      Bryan Ke is a Reporter for NextShark

      SHARE THIS ARTICLE:

      RELATED STORIES FROM NEXTSHARK

      Support
      NextShark's
      Journalism

      Many people might not know this, but NextShark is a small media startup that runs on no outside funding or loans, and with no paywalls or subscription fees, we rely on help from our community and readers like you.

      Everything you see today is built by Asians, for Asians to help amplify our voices globally and support each other. However, we still face many difficulties in our industry because of our commitment to accessible and informational Asian news coverage.

      We hope you consider making a contribution to NextShark so we can continue to provide you quality journalism that informs, educates, and inspires the Asian community. Even a $1 contribution goes a long way. Thank you for supporting NextShark and our community.

      © 2023 NextShark, Inc. All rights reserved.