Charles Sobhraj

Charles Sobhraj (born 6 April 1944), also known as the Bikini Killer, is a French serial killer of Vietnamese and Indian origin who preyed on Western tourists throughout Southeast Asia during the 1970s. Nicknamed The Splitting Killer and The Serpent, due to his skill at deception and evasion, Sobhraj allegedly committed at least a dozen murders. He was convicted and jailed in India from 1976 to 1997. After his release, he retired as a celebrity in Paris. He returned to Nepal and was arrested and tried there. Sobhraj received a sentence of life imprisonment.

Sobhraj is widely believed to be a psychopath. He was driven to murder as a means to sustain his adventurous lifestyle. This, as well as his cunning and cultured personality, made him a celebrity long before his release from prison. He enjoyed the attention, charging large amounts of money for interviews and film rights. He has been the subject of four books and three documentaries. Sobhraj's return to Nepal, where he was still eagerly sought by authorities, is believed to be the result of his yearning for attention and overconfidence in his own intellect.