The FBI has joined an investigation into the suspicious disappearance of a Southern California grandfather, which his family believes could be tied to their success in the cryptocurrency business.
Federal authorities recently became involved in the probe for missing Rancho Cucamonga resident Naiping Hou, 74, who is the father of noted hedge fund and cryptocurrency investor Wen Hou. The son serves as the chief investment officer at Coincident Capital. In 2022, Wen Hou and his wife, who live in Las Vegas, contributed $1.1 million in cryptocurrency to the USC Keck School of Medicine to help fund research on heart disease.
Naiping Hou was last seen in his hometown on March 18, 2025. He was officially reported missing on May 4, 2025, after which detectives determined someone impersonated him using his cellphone for over a month.
“Possible foul play is suspected, as his bank accounts were depleted prior to law enforcement being notified about his disappearance,” the FBI officials said in a news release.
His loved ones previously told KABC that the kidnapping could be tied to the family’s success in crypto.
“I miss him a lot,” Wen Hou said about his father in July 2025. “He’s sort of a guide to my life.”
In a previous LA Times interview, Wen Hou said he became concerned about his father in April 2025 when his text messages in the family group chat began to feel robotic. Naiping Hou became increasingly withdrawn through the messages, less communicative and refused to visit his grandchildren, he claimed.
Wen Hou’s concerns escalated around his father’s May 3 birthday when he began to suspect that someone else may have been controlling his phone. He said his father declined to travel to Las Vegas to see family and did not respond to calls. Instead of reacting warmly to a gift of handmade Chinese noodles sent to his Rancho Cucamonga home, a text from Naiping Hou’s phone simply read, “Yes I received it.”
The out-of-state son asked family friends to check on his father the following day. Upon arrival, they reportedly found the unopened noodle package left on the doorstep. Inside the home, they discovered that the residence appeared to have been largely cleared out, with all furniture removed and a poorly done interior paint job.
Investigators determined that someone had been using Naiping Hou’s phone to impersonate him and carry out extensive fraudulent bank transactions, including purchasing gold bars online. Wen Hou said that was unusual since his father was not tech-savvy and had never bought gold before.
A tip website Wen Hou created to find his missing father remains active, offering a $250,000 reward.
Anyone with information on Naiping Hou’s case is asked to contact their local FBI office or the nearest American Embassy or Consulate.
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