@houstonDon, you wrote "Houston to India" - can you elaborate that a little? Did someone in India get affected by what he did here? A company, perhaps a convenience store he worked at is based out of some entity in India, or did he actually flee to India?

 I wouldn't say it's UNBELIEVABLE, but it's ridiculously insane --- I cannot imagine how someone could take advantage of the friends and well wishers' trust and elope just like that for the sake of few thousand dollars!  Regardless.. I hope it's not the way it seems - maybe he's in some kinda' trouble somewhere? Anyone remember a girl in Colorado (few years ago) that went missing for weeks and finally reappeared out of nowhere?