CHARLES Sobhraj is a terrifying serial killer and a master of crime.
His chilling actions earned him the nicknames the Bikini Killer, the Splitting Killer and the Serpent.
Who is Charles Sobhraj?
Charles Sobhraj was born Hotchand Bhawnani Gurmukh Sobhraj in Vietnam on April 6, 1944.
He had an Indian father and Vietnamese mother but was raised by his mother’s new husband.
As a teenager he began to commit petty crimes and received his first custodial sentence for burglary in 1963.
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After arrests in France, the career criminal fled to South Asia where he preyed on Western tourists travelling on the hippie trail during the 1970s.
What did Charles Sobhraj do?
Sobhraj is a serial killer and thief.
It is thought that Sobhraj murdered at least 20 tourists in South and Southeast Asia, including 14 in Thailand.
He funded his lifestyle by posing as either a gem salesman or drug dealer to impress and befriend tourists.
It was in India that he met Marie-Andrée Leclerc who was one of his most loyal followers.
Ajay Chowdhury became Sobhraj's second in command and they committed their first known murders in 1975.
The first victim was a young woman from Seattle, Teresa Knowlton, who was found drowned in a tidal pool wearing a bikini.
It was months later that Knowlton's post-mortem, as well as forensic evidence, proved that her drowning, originally believed to be a swimming accident, was murder.
The next victim was a Vitali Hakim, whose burnt body was found near where Sobhraj and his followers were staying.
Dutch students Henk Bintanja, 29, and his fiancée Cornelia Hemker, 25, were found strangled and burned on December 16, 1975.
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Previous victim Hakim's French girlfriend, Charmayne Carrou came to investigate her boyfriend's disappearance but soon after she was found drowned and wearing a swimsuit.
I did wrong to some people and those wrongs were immoral but I didn’t go to the length of killing anyone”
Charles Sobhraj
The next victims were Canadian Laurent Carrière, 26, and American Connie Jo Bronzich, 29.
Sobhraj then killed Israeli scholar Avoni Jacob to use his passport.
Sobhraj's next victim was a Frenchman, Jean-Luc Solomon, who was poisoned during a robbery.
The act was committed with the intention of incapacitating Solomon, but it killed him.
His shocking crime spree inspired the 2021 BBC drama series The Serpent.
Now a new Channel 4 documentary, The Real Serpent, puts his crimes under the spotlight with unprecedented access to the man himself.
Although he admits drugging and stealing from victims he dismisses accusations he killed the backpackers as “a lot of imagination.”
“I did wrong to some people and those wrongs were immoral but I didn’t go to the length of killing anyone,” he says. “I didn’t kill a single person.
What is Charles Sobhraj's net worth?
Various sites report Sobhraj's net worth as being different amounts.
However, most allege that the criminal has around $5million.
How long did Charles Sobhraj spend in prison?
Sobhraj spent more than 20 years in prison.
He was first sent to jail in India in 1976 when he was sentenced to 12 years until 1997.
After his release he returned to Francebefore going to Nepal in 2003, where he was arrested, tried, and given a life sentence.
On December 21, 2022, the Supreme Court of Nepal ordered his release from prison because of his old age, after he had served 19 years of his prison term.
On December 23, he was released and deported to France.
Where is Charles Sobhraj now?
Sobhraj arrived at Charles de Gaulle airport when he was deported where he was met by his legal team.
It is now thought he is living in France.
He was even caught strolling UK streets on holiday in a disguise in early 2024.
Is Charles Sobhraj married?
Charles Sobhraj married lawyer Nihita Biswas in 2010 when he was serving life sentence in Nepal.
Nihita was 20 years old and 44 years his junior.
She told the media that his gaze and his eyes were mesmerising and that his French charm had done everything.
Does Charles Sobhraj have children?
Charles Sobhraj has one child, Usha Sutliff who he fathered with his former lover, Chantal Compagnon.
The killer's daughter has cut ties with her father and has dedicated her life to fighting crime.
She has a 'classified' job with the US government, specialising in counter terrorism and homeland security.
