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.