Charles Sobhraj

1. Charles Sobhraj The Serpent

2. Born April 6, 1944 in Saigon to unwed
Vietnamese mother and Indian father
Father left soon after Sobhraj’s birth;
mother blamed him for it
Adopted by mother’s French boyfriend;
moved often between France &
Indochine

3. First jail sentence at 19 for
burglary
survived jail by self-defense
and manipulation
Upon parole joined Parisian high-
society and accumulated money
by stealing jewels and running
scams
Proposed to wealthy women;
arrested the same night

4. Upon his release, wife and he travel to
India, robbing and scamming tourists along
the way
Makes money in India with car theft ring
and smuggling
Arrested several times, escapes by
pretending illness and fleeing from
infirmary

5. For ten-years, he makes his living by
befriending tourists and pilgrims, bilking
them of money, jewels, and their passports
before killing them.
He is repeatedly caught and jailed - and
escapes.He poisons people, then
nurses them back to
health to gain trust.
Or steals their passports,
then “finds” them His younger brother
travels with him; is
arrested also.
Charles escapes, leaves
own brother stranded
with an 18-yr sentence

6. Arrest warrant in Thailand for the capital-
offense of killing two students.
Allows himself to be arrested in India,
enters jail with gems hidden in his body.
Sentenced to 10 yrs; lives life of luxury
“Escapes” to prolong sentence by 10-
yearsThrows party for guards,
drugs them, and walks
out front door

7. Released from jail in 1997,
after all warrants have
expired; returns to France as
celebrity
charges $5000 for
interviews
$20 million movie deal

8. After a quiet retirement in Parisian
suburbs, he visits Nepal.
Arrested and imprisoned for 1975
murders of two backpackers

9. Killed for economic or personal gain
No sexual desire, no drive to kill, no
satisfaction
Psychopath - lack of remorse or emotion
subdivision of “Puppet master”