Wednesday, July 16, 2025 - Authorities in the US are investigating the ‘suspicious disappearance’ of a California man linked to a cryptocurrency fortune.
Investigators with the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s
Department released new information in the hopes of locating Naiping Hou, a
74-year-old resident of Rancho Cucamonga.
He was reported missing by his family on May 4, 2025,
according to authorities.
Investigators discovered “extensive fraudulent activity” in
Hou’s bank accounts around the time he disappeared.
Officials said his cell phone was also used by unknown
individual(s) to impersonate him in communications with family members.
Authorities are now suspecting he may have been
abducted.
Family members of Hou told KABC that they believe the
incident could be connected to their financial success in the cryptocurrency
industry, and are offering a $250,000 reward in hopes of securing his safe
return.
“I miss him dearly,” said Wen Hou, referring to his father,
Naiping Hou. “He’s always been a guiding presence in my life.”
Wen Hou, who the outlet reported amassed significant wealth
through cryptocurrency and previously donated $1.1 million to USC’s Keck School
of Medicine for heart disease research, suspects someone may have stolen his
father’s identity and drained over $1 million from his bank accounts.
He also believes the person responsible has been pretending
to be his father, using text messages to communicate with the family under
false pretenses.
“It’s surreal to think someone could be impersonating my dad
through text,” Wen Hou explained.
According to Wen Hou, the strange series of events may have
started in January 2025, when his father was overseeing home renovations
following a severe water leak.
“He didn’t raise any red flags at the time. We knew he was
getting quotes from various contractors,” Wen Hou recalled. “He was temporarily
living in an apartment covered by insurance, so he wasn’t hands-on with the
daily construction work.”
After the house was repaired in March, Nai Ping joined Wen and a group of friends for a fishing trip, where everything “seemed normal,” until things took a dramatic turn.
“Something really bizarre is going on,” Wen Hou said. “The place was completely cleared out. No people, no vehicles, not even garbage left behind.”
The family later learned that several of Naiping Hou’s bank
accounts had been emptied, with over $1 million missing.
“Funds were being transferred out to purchase gold online,”
Wen Hou explained, adding that his father’s accounts were also used to buy
cryptocurrency and large gold bars. “He’s not tech-savvy at all, so I don’t
know how he could’ve done any of that himself.”
“We’re really worried, and we really want my dad back,” he
continued.
The San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department is asking the
public for help to find Naiping Hou.
He is described as an Asian male, 5’7″ tall, weighing
approximately 170 pounds. He has black hair, black eyes, and a birthmark on his
left upper shoulder.
Additionally, investigators are seeking information about a
silver Toyota Yaris in connection with Hou’s disappearance.
“There’s been a significant amount of unauthorized activity
in his bank accounts,” Mara Rodriguez, a spokesperson for the sheriff’s
department told KABC. “We’re deeply concerned for his well-being and focused on
bringing him home safely.”
According to a website dedicated to the search for Naiping
Hou, he is originally from China and is a husband, father, and grandfather who
is semi-retired.
He is said to spend his time “woodworking, playing ping pong
at a local recreation center, and staying active in his community.”
“The Hou family has long been committed to hard work, family
values, and giving back—making generous contributions to education and public
safety organizations as part of their dedication to helping others,” a
statement on the website reads.
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