Missing photographer Hannah Kobayashi may have fallen victim to a marriage scam involving Argentinian national identified as Alan Cacace.
1
Los Angeles Magazine reports that Kobayashi may have been victimized in an immigration scam that her former boyfriend allegedly orchestrated.
As CrimeOnline previously reported, the couple departed Maui on November 8 and arrived at LAX, intending to catch a connecting flight to New York City. Along on the flight were Cacace and his girlfriend, Marianna, who reportedly traveled with Kobayashi’s ex.
The family’s attorney said that Kobayashi‘a mother turned over “the alleged information to law enforcement immediately upon receipt.”
“We want to stress that the family has not publicly announced any information regarding an alleged marriage because we did not have the facts or the necessary documents to verify the legitimacy of this information,” attorney Sarah Azari wrote, in part, on X.
Azari asked speculators to “avoid jumping to conclusions or spreading unverified claims.”
Before cutting off communication with loved ones, Kobayashi sent friends text messages. One message described a “very intense spiritual awakening,” while another claimed she had “got tricked into pretty much giving away all my funds.”
Meanwhile, law enforcement is reportedly treating her disappearance as voluntary.
Sources told KNBC thatKobayashi was seen leaving the country near Tijuana between November 12 and 13. The reported sighting occurred days after Kobayashi missed the connecting flight.
“She’s an adult and she can choose to be missing,” a senior law enforcement official told the news outlet.
Roughly two weeks after Kobayashi vanished her father reportedly jumped from a parking deck at the same airport while looking for her. His death was deemed a suicide.
Kobayashi’s family disputed McDonnell’s claims that she left willingly.
“It does not appear that Hannah intentionally missed her flight,” her sister wrote. “The lack of communication surrounding some important details has left us feeling excluded from potentially crucial developments.”
Her family said the footage they reviewed suggested she is not in “good condition and she is not alone.”
[Feature Photo: Handout]
