4 Arrested For Kidnapping Irvine Woman, Demanding Ransom From Victim's Husband

IRVINE (CBSLA) – Four people kidnapped a woman from her Irvine apartment last week and then tried to extort her husband using a cell phone app, authorities say.

71-year-old Ezra Schley, 37-year-old Yang "Rose" Wang, 54-year-old Reha Soylular and 34-year-old George Armando Medrano were charged Wednesday with aggravated kidnapping for ransom and extortion, residential burglary and attempted extortion.

On Aug. 28, the four suspects kidnapped a woman from her Irvine apartment, the Orange County District Attorney's Office reports.

Using a cell phone messaging app, they then sent her husband photos of his wife as she was being held captive, prosecutors say. She was rescued after her mother-in-law called Irvine police requesting a welfare check.

At least one of the suspects knew the victim prior to the kidnapping, the DA's office reports. It's unclear how much money they demanded in exchange for her freedom or why they targeted her specifically.

Medrano faces an additional count of felon in possession of ammunition. The suspects are each being held on $1 million bail. They face a maximum sentence of life in prison if convicted as charged.