The family of Hannah Kobayashi, a 30-year-old photographer from Hawaii who mysteriously vanished, is exploring the unsettling possibility that her disappearance may be connected to a green card marriage scam.

Kobayashi was reported missing by her loved ones early last month after she failed to board a connecting flight from Los Angeles to New York. Surveillance footage later showed her purchasing a ticket to Mexico instead.

According to Los Angeles Magazine report, Kobayashi may have been “scammed out of the proceeds of a purported immigration scheme” allegedly devised by her former partner, who travelled with her on the first leg of her trip just before she went missing.

Kobayashi’s new husband, Alan Cacace, an Argentinian national, was also on the plane, along with Cacace’s girlfriend, Marianna, who took a separate flight with Kobayashi’s ex-boyfriend.

Kobayashi’s family has previously expressed concerns about her last text messages, describing them as “suspicious.”

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The report suggests that Kobayashi may have been deceived in a green card visa scam, although her family’s lawyer has stated that this theory remains unconfirmed.

The FBI has become involved in the case due to the potential implications of the green card marriage angle, the Daily Mail reported.

In a statement released through their lawyer, the Kobayashi family stated that they have not publicly acknowledged any information regarding an alleged marriage, as they lacked the facts and necessary documentation to validate such claims. They also stressed that the authenticity of any images or details regarding a possible secret marriage has not been confirmed.