Student Arrested for Faking Own Kidnapping
A college student who was afraid to show his parents his failed grades have come up with an outrageous solution: fake his own kidnapping. Unfortunately for him, the FBI got involved. Aftab Aslam is now facing a total of nine felony charges for his effort.
Aslam, 19, from Johns Creek, Georgia in the U.S. was reported missing on April 27. His parents received a text message three days later from his alleged kidnapper, who told them that their son had been kidnapped and would be killed if they contact the police.
His parents called the police anyway, who involved the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation in solving the case.
The errant Georgia Gwinnett College student returned home eight days later, telling his parents that he had been drugged and held prisoner.
However on Thursday, he was arrested and charged with his own kidnapping. It turned out that he faked the crime because he was afraid to tell his parents that he was failing his English course for the second time.
Investigators learned that he bought the phone that was used to send the text message to his parents. He then camped out in an open field for eight days, and only returned home when "the weather turned cold and rainy."
He admitted to investigators that he orchestrated that whole thing, thinking that the relief of him being safe would take his parents' minds off his failed grade.
Aslam is now facing three felony counts each of making false statement, tampering with evidence, and terroristic threats. He is currently held in jail without bond.