Federal authorities have joined the efforts to locate a 74-year-old man from Southern California, whose disappearance is under suspicious circumstances following the sudden withdrawal of over $1 million from his bank accounts.
The FBI is collaborating with the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department in the investigation of Naiping Hou, who was reported missing by his family on May 4, 2025, according to KTLA.
Wen Hou, Naiping’s son, recounted that the last occasion he spent with his father was during a fishing trip in March of the previous year.
“He was in a great mood,” Wen shared with the media outlet. “He caught plenty of fish and was surrounded by friends. He seemed genuinely happy.”
In the weeks following, the family became uneasy after receiving peculiar text messages from Naiping’s phone, which Wen now suspects were sent by an impostor.
“The messages always mentioned he was tired or that he would call me later, which felt off,” Wen explained. “His replies were unusually brief, and he stopped sending photos during those weeks.”
The situation escalated when friends checked on Naiping’s home and found it empty. The interior had been repainted and cleared out, and his vehicles were gone.
Authorities later uncovered what they described as “extensive fraudulent transactions” tied to his bank accounts around the time he disappeared.
“His money was also gone,” Wen said. “We were able to track the financial transactions. More than $1 million was withdrawn from his account to purchase physical gold online.”
Investigators believe someone may have impersonated Naiping using his phone while draining his finances.
Family members suspect he may have been abducted, pointing to the sudden disappearance, financial activity and attempts to sell his property.
Law enforcement has not confirmed a motive but says the case remains active. The FBI joined the investigation in recent weeks as authorities continue to search for clues.
Naiping is described as 5 feet 7 inches tall, about 170 pounds, with dark hair, dark eyes and a birthmark on his upper left chest.
His family is offering a $250,000 reward for information leading to his whereabouts and is urging anyone with information to come forward as the investigation continues.
