Sobhraj leaving a court in Paris French serial killer, fraudster, and thief Charles Sobhraj (center) leaving court with his lawyer Jacques Verges (left) in Paris on April 8, 1997. (more) Charles Sobhraj French serial killer Ask the Chatbot a Question More Actions Share Share Share to social media Facebook X URL https://www.britannica.com/biography/Charles-Sobhraj Feedback Corrections? Updates? Omissions? Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). Feedback Type Select a type (Required) Factual Correction Spelling/Grammar Correction Link Correction Additional Information Other Your Feedback Submit Feedback Thank you for your feedback Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article.

　　External Websites Ask the Chatbot a Question Also known as: Gurmukh Sobhraj, The Bikini Killer, The Serpent Written by Written by Urnesha Bhattacherjee Associate Editor, Britannica India Urnesha Bhattacherjee Fact-checked by Fact-checked by The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree.... The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica Last Updated: Sep. 25, 2025 •Article History Table of Contents Table of Contents Ask the Chatbot Quick Facts Original name: Gurmukh Sobhraj (Show more) Also called: the Serpent or the Bikini Killer (Show more) Born: April 6, 1944, Saigon [now Ho Chi Minh City], Vietnam (Show more) { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "FAQPage", "mainEntity": [ { "@type" : "Question", "name" : " Who is Charles Sobhraj? ", "acceptedAnswer" : { "@type" : "Answer", "text" : "Charles Sobhraj, also known as the Serpent or the Bikini Killer, is a French serial killer, smuggler, con artist, and thief known for his crimes along the Asian hippie trail in the 1970s." } } , { "@type" : "Question", "name" : " What were Charles Sobhraju2019s early life circumstances? ", "acceptedAnswer" : { "@type" : "Answer", "text" : "Born during World War II to an Indian businessman and a Vietnamese shop worker, Charles Sobhraj was left without formal citizenship and moved among Vietnam, France, and Senegal. His early life involved rebellion, theft, and border crossing." } } , { "@type" : "Question", "name" : " What was Charles Sobhraju2019s modus operandi? ", "acceptedAnswer" : { "@type" : "Answer", "text" : "Charles Sobhraj befriended young travelers on the hippie trail by posing as a gem dealer, drugged them with sedatives, robbed them of valuables and travel documents, and often killed them, burning the bodies to obscure identification." } } , { "@type" : "Question", "name" : " How did Charles Sobhraj escape from prison in India? ", "acceptedAnswer" : { "@type" : "Answer", "text" : "Charles Sobhraj staged an escape from Tihar Jail in India on March 16, 1986, by lacing sweets with sedatives during his 42nd birthday party, overpowering wardens, and fleeing in a car with accomplices." } } , { "@type" : "Question", "name" : " What is Charles Sobhraju2019s legacy? ", "acceptedAnswer" : { "@type" : "Answer", "text" : "Charles Sobhraju2019s life is a notorious example of cross-border crime in the 20th century. He evaded convictions for decades, and his story is recounted in books, documentaries, and dramatizations, including the BBC-Netflix miniseries The Serpent (2021)." } } ] } Top Questions Who is Charles Sobhraj? Charles Sobhraj, also known as the Serpent or the Bikini Killer, is a French serial killer, smuggler, con artist, and thief known for his crimes along the Asian hippie trail in the 1970s.

　　What were Charles Sobhraj’s early life circumstances? Born during World War II to an Indian businessman and a Vietnamese shop worker, Charles Sobhraj was left without formal citizenship and moved among Vietnam, France, and Senegal. His early life involved rebellion, theft, and border crossing.

　　What was Charles Sobhraj’s modus operandi? Charles Sobhraj befriended young travelers on the hippie trail by posing as a gem dealer, drugged them with sedatives, robbed them of valuables and travel documents, and often killed them, burning the bodies to obscure identification.

　　How did Charles Sobhraj escape from prison in India? Charles Sobhraj staged an escape from Tihar Jail in India on March 16, 1986, by lacing sweets with sedatives during his 42nd birthday party, overpowering wardens, and fleeing in a car with accomplices.

　　What is Charles Sobhraj’s legacy? Charles Sobhraj’s life is a notorious example of cross-border crime in the 20th century. He evaded convictions for decades, and his story is recounted in books, documentaries, and dramatizations, including the BBC-Netflix miniseries The Serpent (2021).

　　Charles Sobhraj (born April 6, 1944, Saigon [now Ho Chi Minh City], Vietnam) is a French serial killer, smuggler, con artist, and thief whose career of disguises, passport theft, and murders along the Asian hippie trail (an overland route between Europe and Southeast Asia popular among Western backpackers) in the 1970s earned him the nickname “the Serpent.” He became infamous for his serpentine ability to slither through borders, charm his victims, and evade justice for decades. Arrested in India in 1976 on charges of culpable homicide and poisoning after attempting to drug 60 French students, he was sentenced to 12 ...(100 of 1341 words)

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