Bo Guagua, the Harrow- and Oxford-educated son of Bo Xilai, was slipped out of his luxury flat near Harvard University late on Thursday night, in a pre-arranged pick-up by law-enforcement officers.
Wearing a dark jacket and pulling a roller suitcase, the 24-year-old, who was preparing for final exams of a postgraduate degree, was driven away in a dark SUV by a besuited officer wearing a badge.
"He did not look frightened, but he seemed anxious to go with them," a source told The Daily Telegraph. "He had clearly been expecting it". Mr Bo was accompanied by a female friend.
Speculation was mounting that the younger Mr Bo may have sought protection from American authorities. The FBI's Boston office declined to say if the man was one of their agents. It is understood that he was not from the local or university police departments.
He was picked up at about 10pm on Thursday, after his female friend told the doorman to expect a visitor and gave him an electronic key fob to let him into the underground car park. She is believed to have left later in Mr Bo's Porsche, after collecting more luggage.
