Meng Hongwei

First he vanished after sending his wife a knife emoji. Then Chinese officials announced Meng Hongwei had been detained on bribery charges. Now, state-run media says he's admitted guilt.

Meng Hongwei's case drew international headlines last fall after one of the world's top law enforcement officials suddenly lost contact with his family during a trip from France to China.

Meng Hongwei's wife told journalists in Lyon — where Interpol is based — that she had received a troubling text message from her husband's phone: a knife emoji. China says he's under investigation.