California men charged with kidnapping of luxury car dealer who died in $2 million ransom scheme, feds say

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Two California men are now facing potential life sentences after being accused by federal authorities in the 2018 kidnapping of Ruochen Liao, a Chinese national and luxury car dealer who died in an alleged $2 million ransom scheme.

Anthony Valladares, 28, of Pasadena, and Alexis Ivan Romero Velez, 24, of Azusa, were arrested Tuesday and charged with one count of kidnapping each, according to a statement from the U.S. Attorney's Office of the Central District of California.

“Valladares was the ‘muscle’ hired to intimidate, beat and subdue Liao during the kidnapping, and Romero was the driver of the vehicle used in the kidnapping,” the office said in a statement, citing an FBI affidavit.

Ruochen Liao died from his injuries during captivity, investigators say. (FBI)

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Liao owned a Southern California car dealership that sold high-end cars such as Porsches and Bentleys, and was abducted from a mall parking lot in suburban San Gabriel on July 16, 2018, investigators said.

Two Chinese citizens living in West Covina have been charged with orchestrating that crime. Guangyao Yang, 26, and Peicheng Shen, 34, are being held in China on charges filed there related to the kidnapping, the U.S. attorney's office said.

It was believed that the men arranged the kidnapping to collect a debt from Liao, who was living in the U.S. on a visa, according to court documents.

“During the investigation, the FBI learned that Valladares and Romero worked with Yang and Shen to conduct the kidnapping, during which Liao was repeatedly beaten and tased into submission,” the Attorney’s Office said.

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“Valladares admitted that he was hired to assist in the kidnapping, agreed to accept $1,000 for the job, and restrained Liao during the kidnapping,” the Attorney’s Office added. “Romero admitted, according to the affidavit, that he was recruited by Valladares and was the driver during the kidnapping.”

Liao’s parents in China “received ransom demands and ‘proof-of-life' photos suggesting that Liao had been badly beaten, blindfolded, and tied up with duct tape” and were “told to deposit the ransom payment into Chinese bank accounts within three hours,” the Attorney’s Office said.

However, authorities said the money wasn't paid.

Investigators suspect Liao was held captive inside a closet at a home in Corona during the ransom ordeal.

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“During his captivity, investigators believe Liao was frequently beaten and ultimately died the night of July 17,” the Attorney’s Office said. “During the early morning of July 18, investigators believe Yang and Shen drove to the desert near the town of Mojave to bury Liao’s body."

His remains were identified last year – and the maximum penalty that Valladares and Romero are now facing is life in federal prison.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.