Plot summary
After popular on-line vlogger Lisa "Willow" Tyler ( Michelle Trachtenberg ) and her boyfriend Holden Foster ( Michael Goduti ) are kidnapped during a live broadcast, Logan and Wheeler investigate the crime that they doubt may have ever occurred. As they attempt to track down the real identities of Willow and her boyfriend, the kidnappers up the ante by asking for an online ransom for the couple, demanding fans donate to a website to save the duo. The detectives identify the kidnappers, Todd ( Trevor Oswalt ) and Reggie ( Pedro Pascal ), as part-time actors however the investigation takes a turn after Reggie is shot dead.
Logan and Wheeler uncover that the entire kidnapping was scripted by Holden, and Reggie was accidentally killed by a "blank" bullet. Meanwhile, "Willow" uses the ransom to finance a movie deal about the kidnapping with her in the leading role. Inspired by the lonelygirl15 YouTube vblogs originally believed to be from a 15-year-old, but eventually uncovered as a professionally filmed hoax.
Credits
Adapted from Wikipedia contributors, Law & Order: Criminal Intent season 6. HTML formatting and reference markers removed.