A California man was last seen in March. His family says he was likely kidnapped.
Naiping Hou lives in Rancho Cucamonga and was last seen on March 18, his family said on a website created after he went missing. His family first reported him missing on May 4, the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department said in a July 7 press release.
The day his family reported him missing on May 4, investigators went to his home for a welfare check, his family said on the missing person's website.
Investigators did not find him, but 'evidence indicated Naiping may have been kidnapped,' his family wrote.
Here's what's known so far about his case.
Police: Fraudelent transactions found in missing man's account
The San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department shared an update on Hou's case on July 9 in hopes of generating new leads. According to detectives, they found 'extensive fraudulent transactions' that were conducted around the time the man went missing.
They also think someone impersonated him using his cell phone to communicate with his family members.
Investigators said they are looking for information about a silver Toyota Yaris in connection to his disappearance.
Investigators did not immediately respond to requests for more information on July 21.
Family: $1M in retirement savings was wiped from man's account
According to his family, there have been unauthorized sales of his vehicles, items gifted, and someone tried to rent his home.
His family added that based on evidence found, those connected to his alleged kidnapping may have ties to Los Angeles and the Inland Empire, a metro area east of Los Angeles County, centered around Riverside and San Bernardino.
'The suspects are believed to be using sophisticated and deceptive tactics and are considered highly dangerous,' Hou's family wrote.
His son, Wen Hou, also created a video shared to the family's site to ask for help finding his father.
'It took six weeks to discover my father was missing and the reason why it took so long is because whoever took him used his phone to impersonate him,' his son said. 'They drained about $1 million from my dad's bank account. That was all his retirement savings. We're very devastated and we're deeply concerned for his safety."
What we know about missing man Naiping Hou
Originally from China, Hou is a husband, father, and grandfather who has lived in the Rancho Cucamonga area for the past 20 years, his family said. His family said he was in 'semi-retirement' when he went missing, and likes to spend time woodworking, playing ping pong at a local recreation center, and staying active in his community.
Hou's family said he stands at 5-foot-7, weighs 170 pounds, has gray hair (possibly dyed brown or black), and dark brown eyes. They noted he has a birthmark on his left upper shoulder and a surgery scar on his lower back.
His family said there is a $250,000 reward being offered for information that leads to Hou's safe return, or the identification, arrest, and conviction of the people responsible.
Authorities ask that anyone with information contact Det. Vanayes Quezada of the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department's Specialized Investigations Division at (909) 890-4848. Tipsters can also submit information at www.wetip.com
Saleen Martin is a reporter on USA TODAY's NOW team. She is from Norfolk, Virginia – the 757. Email her at sdmartin@usatoday.com.
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A California man was last seen in March. His family says he was likely kidnapped.
Authorities in California are still searching for a 74-year-old man who has been missing for four months. His family believes he may have been kidnapped. Naiping Hou lives in Rancho Cucamonga and was last seen on March 18, his family said on a website created after he went missing. His family first reported him missing on May 4, the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department said in a July 7 press release. The day his family reported him missing on May 4, investigators went to his home for a welfare check, his family said on the missing person's website. Investigators did not find him, but 'evidence indicated Naiping may have been kidnapped,' his family wrote. Here's what's known so far about his case. Police: Fraudelent transactions found in missing man's account The San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department shared an update on Hou's case on July 9 in hopes of generating new leads. According to detectives, they found 'extensive fraudulent transactions' that were conducted around the time the man went missing. They also think someone impersonated him using his cell phone to communicate with his family members. Investigators said they are looking for information about a silver Toyota Yaris in connection to his disappearance. Investigators did not immediately respond to requests for more information on July 21. Family: $1M in retirement savings was wiped from man's account According to his family, there have been unauthorized sales of his vehicles, items gifted, and someone tried to rent his home. His family added that based on evidence found, those connected to his alleged kidnapping may have ties to Los Angeles and the Inland Empire, a metro area east of Los Angeles County, centered around Riverside and San Bernardino. 'The suspects are believed to be using sophisticated and deceptive tactics and are considered highly dangerous,' Hou's family wrote. His son, Wen Hou, also created a video shared to the family's site to ask for help finding his father. 'It took six weeks to discover my father was missing and the reason why it took so long is because whoever took him used his phone to impersonate him,' his son said. 'They drained about $1 million from my dad's bank account. That was all his retirement savings. We're very devastated and we're deeply concerned for his safety." What we know about missing man Naiping Hou Originally from China, Hou is a husband, father, and grandfather who has lived in the Rancho Cucamonga area for the past 20 years, his family said. His family said he was in 'semi-retirement' when he went missing, and likes to spend time woodworking, playing ping pong at a local recreation center, and staying active in his community. Hou's family said he stands at 5-foot-7, weighs 170 pounds, has gray hair (possibly dyed brown or black), and dark brown eyes. They noted he has a birthmark on his left upper shoulder and a surgery scar on his lower back. His family said there is a $250,000 reward being offered for information that leads to Hou's safe return, or the identification, arrest, and conviction of the people responsible. Authorities ask that anyone with information contact Det. Vanayes Quezada of the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department's Specialized Investigations Division at (909) 890-4848. Tipsters can also submit information at Saleen Martin is a reporter on USA TODAY's NOW team. She is from Norfolk, Virginia – the 757. Email her at sdmartin@
Yahoo
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Suspicious text messages on a family group chat have sparked an investigation into the disappearance of the father of a well-known crypto investor – with relatives fearing he may have been kidnapped. Naiping Hou, 74, of Rancho Cucamonga, California, was last seen on March 18. His family was alerted after the semi-retired grandpa began dodging phone calls and declining visits to see his grandchildren. Hou is the father of Wen Hou, a hedge fund and cryptocurrency investor who serves as the chief investment officer at Coincident Capital. The younger Hou told The Los Angeles Times that his father had become oddly detached on a family group chat since March, but that concerns over his father's wellbeing came to a head on his birthday on May 3. Naiping Hou had been invited to spend his birthday at his son's Las Vegas residence, but he declined. After his son sent him a birthday gift of handmade Chinese noodles, whoever was controlling the phone did not answer any calls. Instead of thanks for the gift, as they expected, a text message was sent reading simply: 'Yes I receive it.' Naiping Hou, a 74-year-old grandpa from southern California has been missing since May 4. His family was first alerted to his disappearance by strange text messages on the family group chat. ( The next morning, the family went to his home and found the noodle package still on the stoop. Inside, they said the furniture was missing and it appeared a new paint job had been done. The cars were missing from the garage, as well. Naiping Hou was in China at the time. She also received a strange text message from her husband that told her to cancel her flight home and he would join her in Asia. 'We really are devastated, really sad, and we want him back if possible,' Wen Hou told The Times. 'We are pretty upset about how this was discovered so late and a bit upset about ourselves that we didn't find these clues earlier.' San Bernardino County Sheriff's Office, which is now investigating the disappearance, confirmed they believed the elder Hou's phone was being 'used by an unknown individual(s) who impersonated him to communicate with family members.' According to police, who investigated the home on May 4, evidence was found that 'indicated Naiping may have been kidnapped.' Naiping Hou's son, crypto investor Wen Hou, has offered a reward of up to $250,000 for information leading to the safe return of his father, or the identification of those involved. A website – – has also been launched ( 'There has been unexplained and suspicious activity with Naiping's financial accounts and property; Draining of his accounts, unauthorized sales of his vehicles, gifting of items and the attempted renting of his home,' the sheriff's office said. The office added that evidence also suggested that individuals connected to the crime may have ties to both the Los Angeles area and the Inland Empire. 'The suspects are believed to be using sophisticated and deceptive tactics and are considered highly dangerous.' In addition, Wen Hou has offered a reward of up to $250,000 for information leading to the safe return of his father, or the identification of those involved. A website – – has also been launched. 'We really are devastated, really sad, and we want him back if possible,' Wen Hou told The Times. 'We are pretty upset about how this was discovered so late and a bit upset about ourselves that we didn't find these clues earlier.'
Los Angeles Times
16-07-2025
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Creepy texts offer clues in disappearance of SoCal grandpa linked to crypto fortune
Weird texts were the first clue that something sinister had happened to an elderly Rancho Cucamonga man linked to a vast cryptocurrency fortune. They began with robotic responses in a family group chat, included an uncharacteristic refusal to visit his grandkids and were followed by complete silence. Now, the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department is investigating the mysterious disappearance of 74-year-old Naiping Hou, father of noted cryptocurrency investor Wen Hou. Detectives believe that someone used the elder Hou's cellphone to impersonate him. Extensive fraudulent transactions were also made using his bank account around the time of his disappearance, according to the Sheriff's Department. Wen Hou said that more than $1 million was siphoned from his father's savings and used to purchase gold bars online. 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Whoever was controlling his phone refused to answer any calls on the birthday and, instead of thanking Wen Hou for the gift, simply texted at 9:18 p.m.: 'Yes I receive it.' The following morning, Wen Hou asked family friends to go check in on his father in Rancho Cucamonga. They found the noodle package sitting on the stoop and made an even more shocking discovery inside. The home was stripped of all its furniture and had a shoddy new paint job on the interior walls, Wen Hou said. His father's cars were missing from his garage, and the man himself was nowhere to be seen. Wen Hou reported his father's disappearance to the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department on May 4. The elder Hou's wife was visiting family in China when he is believed to have gone missing, according to his family. While abroad she received a text from Hou's phone telling her to cancel her flight home, saying that he would come join her in Asia. Detectives say they are currently following several leads but are unable to share further information as the investigation is ongoing. They are asking the public to keep an eye out for the 5-foot-7 Asian male, who has black hair, black eyes, a birthmark on his left upper shoulder and weighs around 170 pounds. They are also seeking information about a silver Toyota Yaris in connection to Hou's disappearance. Anyone with information about the case is asked to contact Det. Vanayes Quezada at (909) 890-4848. Frustrated by the lack of updates in the investigation, Wen Hou launched a website this week dedicated to raising awareness about his father's disappearance. The family is asking the public to share information via text, WhatsApp or Signal to their personal tip line at (213) 564-9366. 'We're really sad and it feels terrible to wait and very devastating to experience this,' said Wen Hou. Although Wen Hou doesn't know who is behind the possible crimes against his father, he fears that contractors who performed work on Hou's home at the beginning of the year may have preyed on his father or even kidnapped him. 'I hope this serves as a caution for elderly people,' he said, adding that his father's disappearance has opened his eyes to how common it is for criminals to take advantage of the elderly. Wen Hou is a well-known hedge fund and cryptocurrency investor who serves as the chief investment officer at Coincident Capital. In 2021, he spent $9.7 million on a Bel-Air home, according to reporting from the Real Deal. In 2022, he and his wife gifted $1.1 million in cryptocurrency to the USC Keck School of Medicine to support research on heart disease. Wen Hou credits much of his success to the lessons taught to him by his father, who was born in the Shaanxi province of China and immigrated to the San Gabriel Valley in pursuit of a better life for his children. 'My journey has been a long one, and it started with my father's decision to move to the U.S.,' Hou told USC in 2022. 'I am thankful to him for giving me the opportunity to thrive in the U.S. and allowing me to reach my potential, which has resulted in this gift.' Through shrewd business decisions, Naiping Hou did well financially and retired comfortably — achieving what Wen Hou considers the American dream, he said. The elder Hou is a family man and enjoys hobbies such as ping-pong, woodworking and fishing.
