Hannah Kobayashi lawyer blasts ‘Hawaii wedding pic’ that stranger sent to sister as ‘green card marriage’ investigated
THE lawyer representing the family of missing Hannah Kobayashi has called out an image that's fueled rampant speculation about the marriage status of the traveler who vanished nearly a month ago.
Kobayashi, a 30-year-old Hawaii woman, disappeared after landing in Los Angeles on November 8, sparking a desperate search that's drawn national attention through multiple twists and turns.
Kobayashi was last seen crossing the US-Mexico border on November 12, cops announced on Monday. Surveillance footage released from November 11 showed Kobayashi with her passport and suitcase.
While police have classified Kobayashi's disappearance as voluntary, saying she wants a "digital detox," her family remains unconvinced that she's safe because she hasn't contacted them since November 11.
The case took a twist when fears started to grow that Kobayashi fell victim to a green card marriage scam after a picture circulated online appearing to show her getting married to an Argentinian man named Alan Cacace.
Sara Azari, Kobayashi's family's attorney, said the family has no idea if the picture is legitimate or not after a stranger first sent it to Kobayashi's sister, Sydni, last month.
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"What happened is on November 15, somebody on Facebook that we don’t know sent Hannah’s sister a picture that looked like a wedding picture on the beach in Hawaii with leis around their necks and Hannah with this man," Azari explained to The U.S. Sun.
"They said that they got that off of Reddit."
Azari said the worried family immediately gave the picture to the Los Angeles Police Department - but they were left in the dark about what cops found.
"We have no idea what law enforcement investigated, and if they did, what they found out," Azari added.
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Azari, a criminal defense attorney and published author, announced she was stepping in to represent the family on December 3.
She said her team is taking on investigating the marriage claims as the family's search for Kobayashi persists.
A green card marriage scam usually involves a foreign national marrying an American citizen to obtain legal residency via a green card.
reported that Kobayashi's family found immigration-related documents at her Hawaii home after her disappearance, but Azari said that never happened.
The family came under fire on social media for not disclosing what they knew about the possible fraudulent marriage.
However, the family didn't know if the information was factual.
Family's statement about alleged marriage
Hannah Kobayashi's family's attorney, Sara Azari, shared the following statement on behalf of Hannah's family about claims she was involved in a green card marriage scam:
"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.
"The family has not confirmed the authenticity of the images or the accuracy of the information provided about a possible secret marriage. This is one of many leads we are actively investigating with the help of our attorney and investigative team.
"We would also like to confirm that we turned over the alleged information to law enforcement immediately upon receipt.
"Further, while we appreciate Larie’s efforts, she does not speak on behalf of our immediate family, which consists of Hannah’s mother, Brandi and her sister, Sydni.
"We remain focused on verifying the details and leads we have received, and ask for your understanding and patience as we continue our investigation.
"We extend our deepest gratitude to everyone who has supported us during this incredibly difficult time. Your efforts, especially those of the volunteers and individuals who have gone above and beyond to help search for Hannah, mean the world to us.
"Finally, we kindly ask everyone to avoid jumping to conclusions or spreading unverified claims. It is especially important not to perpetuate speculation that anyone is involved in a scam, as this only hinders our efforts to find Hannah and bring clarity and closure to the nightmare we are living because of her disappearance."
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"We don’t know if it’s true or not," Azari said.
"We’re not going to share with the public what we don’t know.
"Just because somebody sent it and said they got it off Reddit, which is also unreliable, doesn’t make it true."
Azari said the family did the "right thing" by giving the information to police to investigate.
The attorney said Kobayashi hasn't been married before as far as the family knows.
We’re not going to share with the public what we don’t know.
Sara Azari
The circulated picture showed Cacace posted the wedding picture on October 26, nearly two weeks before Kobayashi missed her connecting flight to New York City on November 8.
The days after she was reported missing, volunteers gathered in Los Angeles to look for the missing traveler in response to her family's pleas for help following cryptic texts from Kobayashi.
Ryan Kobayashi, Hannah's dad, was seen breaking down in tears at a rally for the missing woman after he flew out to California to help search for her.
The disappearance of Hannah Kobayashi
HANNAH Kobayashi sparked a massive search after missing a flight to New York during a layover in Los Angeles. Here is a timeline of events in the case.
Friday, November 8: Hannah leaves her home in Maui and arrives in Los Angeles for a connecting flight to New York City. She has 42 minutes to make the flight at 11 pm.
Saturday, November 9: Hannah is meant to land at JFK airport in New York City at 7 am but never arrives. She is seen at a bookshop at The Grove, an hour from the Los Angeles airport.
Sunday, November 10: Hannah sends a message saying she's scared and worried about someone trying to steal her money and identity, alongside several other cryptic texts. She's later seen at a Nike event at The Grove in Los Angeles.
Monday, November 11: Hannah's phone data puts her back at LAX. She posts a picture on her Instagram account from the Nike event. Her phone is then turned off.
Tuesday, November 12: Unbeknownst to her family, Hannah catches a bus from Union Station down to San Ysidro, San Diego, and crosses the border into Tijuana, Mexico.
Wednesday, November 13: Family files missing person's report and flies to LA to search for her. They are informed she was last seen at Pico Station in Downtown Los Angeles with an unidentified male.
Sunday, November 24: After scouring LA's Skid Row and other areas for nearly a week, Hannah's dad Ryan takes his own life and is found dead in a Los Angeles parking lot.
Monday, December 2: Cops announce Hannah was spotted in surveillance footage crossing into Mexico from the US on November 12 and say she wanted to step away from modern connectivity. The investigation is paused.
Tuesday, December 3: Hannah's family vows to keep looking for her in a statement released by their attorney.
Ryan was found dead by suicide in a parking lot by LAX weeks after his daughter was reported missing, police said.
LAPD didn't comment further when approached by The U.S. Sun.
Police stopped looking for Kobayashi after they found out she entered Mexico voluntarily, LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell said Monday.
'RECKLESS'
Despite the police's step back, Azari said the search for Kobayashi will continue in Mexico.
"I think it’s very reckless for the LAPD to call this voluntary," she said.
"You don’t have to be dragged by your hair for it to be against your will.
"I just have a problem with closing the books and calling it voluntary when that’s very unusual behavior for somebody."
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If you or someone you know is affected by any of the issues raised in this story, call or text the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988, chat on , or text Crisis Text Line at 741741.
