Although I rarely post links to articles in other publications without surrounding them with context and commentary, I do so today and recommend you read Joseph Kahn's, Dispute Leaves U.S. Executive in Chinese Legal Netherworld. The dispute between Changhong (长虹), a state-owned enterprise in Sichuan (四川), and Apex Digital involves several hundred million US dollars in what is alleged to be unpaid debt,an American citizen of Chinese origin under house arrest in private (not public) quarters, the police of the city of Mianyang (绵阳), Morrison & Foerster in New York, Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft in Washington, DC, Wal-Mart, Best Buy and Circuit City, and goodness knows who else.