David Thai
Vietnamese-born American gangster / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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David Thai, (born Thái Thọ Hoàng January 30, 1956), is a Vietnamese-born American gangster who was the founder and leader of the notorious Born to Kill gang during the late 1980s and early 1990s. He was also responsible for running a massive illegal counterfeit watch operation and at his peak controlled the market and distribution of counterfeit watches in New York by means of blackmail and extortion. He was the official leader of Born to Kill from 1988 until his arrest in 1991, which was the combination of months of investigation by the United States Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) in conjunction with the aid of a former gang member who defected from the gang and became an undercover informant, helping secure the convictions of David Thai and several of his high-ranking officers.
David Thai | |
---|---|
Born | Thái Thọ Hoàng (1956-01-30) January 30, 1956 (age 68) |
Nationality | Vietnam, United States |
Other names | Anh hai (meaning "Big Brother") |
Occupation(s) | Crime boss, gangster, counterfeiter |
Known for | Leader of Born to Kill |
Criminal status | Incarcerated at FMC Devens[1] |
Conviction(s) | Conspiracy to commit murder, murder, attempted murder, robbery, racketeering, extortion |
Criminal penalty | 2 consecutive life sentences + 43 years [2] |
Described as a sly, shrewd and lethal gangster,[3] David Thai fashioned himself as a big brother and the protector to the Vietnamese community in Chinatown. Thai was described by crime writer T. J. English and many others as being well dressed,[4] usually wearing "a tailored sports coat, silk shirt and loft leather loafers" alongside a pair of sunglasses, and was said to have resembled more a businessman than a gangster.[5] During his interview with Peg Tyre after his arrest on murder charges in 1991 and other interviews that went on in the course of his trial, Thai often stated that he was trying to protect and help the Vietnamese community in Chinatown, often by giving the newly arrived refugees money and a place to live. In his interview with Tyre, Thai went on to describe that he sacrificed his first marriage due to his "love for his Vietnamese brothers".[6]
On October 23, 1992, a United States federal judge in Brooklyn sentenced Thai to life in prison for murder, attempted murder, conspiracy, robbery, extortion, and related offenses. Federal prosecutors claimed that David Thai's life sentence significantly impaired Asian gang activity in New York.[7]