$50K Reward Offered for Info on Missing Chinese Student at University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Zhang, a visiting Chinese student at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, was last seen after 2 p.m. on June 9. She boarded an MTD Teal Line bus at 1:35 p.m. at Orchard Downs and got off at Springfield and Matthews avenues in Urbana at 1:52 p.m.

In her last correspondence, Zhang, who arrived in the U.S. a month before, told friends that she wouldbe signing an apartment lease with her agent. Police discovered that her last call was at 2:30 p.m. on June 9. Her agent tried to reach her at 2:38 p.m., but she no longer responded, Shanghaiist noted.

On June 17, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, which considers the case to be a kidnapping, started offering a reward of up to $10,000 to anyone who can help find the missing student. By Monday, the Zhang family announced that they are coordinating with Champaign County Crime Stoppers to offer a reward of up to $40,000 for the same merit.

The rewards are separate and not linked to each other, as per the University of Illinois Police Department’s latest update.

Over the weekend, Zhang’s father, aunt and boyfriend arrived at the university campus, which provided them housing as the search continues. A crowdfunding page has been set up to help them cover their living expenses.

Anyone with information involving Zhang’s whereabouts can contact the FBI at 1-800-CALLFBI (1-800-225-5324) or tips.fbi.gov, and Champaign County Crime Stoppers at 217-373-TIPS (217-373-8477), 373tips.com or via the P3 Tips mobile app.