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Eight-Finger Phước

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Eight-Finger Phước
Phước "tám ngón"
Phước in prison
Born
Nguyễn Hữu Thành

1971 or 1972
Dĩ An district or An Đức district, Biên Hòa province, South Vietnam
Died22 October 1996(1996-10-22) (aged 24–25)
Long Bình commune, Thủ Đức district, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Resting place
Long Bình execution ground cemetery, Long Bình, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Criminal status
Executed by shooting
Convictions
Criminal penalty
Death (1994, 1996)
Escaped26 March 1995
Escape end29 April 1996
Imprisoned atChí Hòa Prison

Nguyễn Hữu Thành (1971 or 1972 – 22 October 1996), nicknamed Eight-Finger Phước (Vietnamese: Phước "tám ngón"), was a Vietnamese gangster convicted of murder, theft, and illegal possession of military weapons; he was sentenced to death in 1994 and again in 1996. He led a notorious robbery gang in the early 1990s that operated mainly in Thủ Đức, Hồ Chí Minh City.

Phước was the first person since 1975 to escape from Chí Hòa Prison, one of the most secure prisons in Vietnam.[1]

Early life

Phước was born in 1971[2][3] or 1972[4][5] into a poor family in Dĩ An district (or An Đức district from August 1971 to October 1972), Biên Hòa province. He dropped out of school, having only completed the first grade and proficient in neither reading nor writing.[6][7]

At the age of 16, after being scolded by his mother during a night out, Phước severed the little and index fingers of his left hand, leaving him with eight fingers.[8] Phước was also said to have tied and thrown his father into a well out of anger, only pulling the older man out after he fainted.[6][8] His father died one year later.[9]

Phước soon left home, making a living through gambling and robbery.[7]

Criminal career

Early activities

In 1988, at the age of 17, Phước was sentenced to 36 months in prison by the People's Court of Gò Vấp District in Hồ Chí Minh City for theft. When he was released, the police of Hồ Chí Minh City sent him to Vũng Tàu for rehabilitation and forced labor.[8][9][10] Refusing to rehabilitate, he escaped from the detention camp, bought guns, and formed a robbery gang under his leadership. The gang mainly operated in Thủ Đức and Đồng Nai.[8] In early 1991, they usually took advantage of the deserted mountain roads, going at dusk to ambush passersby, shooting and injuring them to steal their motorbikes.[9] During half of one month, the gang committed two robberies, one theft, and killed a victim in Thủ Đức.[11][12] Phước often used a short-barrel AK-47 during robberies.[12]

The Ministry of Public Security and the Hồ Chí Minh City police established a task force to dismantle the gang. Police from Đồng Nai, Sông Bé were also mobilized. After one year, on 19 April 1994, Phước was arrested and detained by the Sông Bé police. On 24 June 1994, he was tried at the Hồ Chí Minh City People's Court [vi] for robbery, illegal use of military weapons and first-degree murder, and was sentenced to death.[9][10]

Escape

Phước was held in Chí Hòa Prison, taken to a cell reserved for death row prisoners.[13] In the detention area, he became familiar with several of the laboring inmates. In February 1995, Phước met inmate Nguyễn Văn Minh, and asked him for a razor blade, claiming it was for shaving. In March, Phước asked Minh for a lighter. Minh secretly took the items to him. While using the toilet in solitary confinement, Phước had discovered that the toilet wall was rotting, and he planned to break through that wall to escape.[12][14]

Chí Hòa prison in 2016

With the razor blade, Phước managed to saw through his iron shackles in 5 days.[10][15] To prevent detection of the damage to the shackles, he threaded pieces of cloth through the sawed grooves and heated them with the lighter from Minh, so that color from the fabric covered the saw marks.[16] Phước also found an iron ring on the toilet door frame. He removed it and used the iron shackles to straighten it. He sharpened the iron into a pointed awl, then hid it in the hole in the wall of his prison cell.[13][17]

At 9 p.m. (UTC+7:00) on 26 March 1995, when the prisoners had gone to sleep, Phước removed his shackles and crawled into the toilet.[18] He used the iron awl to create a hole just large enough for him to squeeze through.[10][19] He dumped the sand and scraps of cement he had chipped away into the toilet and flushed them away, and carried the bricks into his sleeping area, arranging them so that they resembled a person lying down.[15][20] When he reached the roof, he tied his prisoner clothes to make a rope to climb down; however, the rope broke and he fell to the ground face down, which knocked him unconscious. After regaining consciousness, he got up and climbed a nearby electric pole to reach the guards' housing complex. He hid until dawn, then sneaked into the courtyard, taking a police uniform that was drying and, later, a bicycle and a pair of sandals.[20] He then wheeled the bicycle to the guard post, and asked the officer on duty to open the gate so he could "go out for coffee". The officer opened the gate, completing Phước's escape, in the early morning of 27 March 1995.[10][13]

This escape by a gang leader led to severe disciplinary action against almost all of the prison management board, security guards, and wardens.[21]

Robbery spree and rearrest

In March 1995, after escaping from prison, Phước sold the bicycle for ₫60,000 (around ₫310,000 in 2026, or US$11.79), returned to Thủ Đức and went to his wife's house to meet her, then ran away after she gave him 7.5 g (0.26 ounces) of gold. He travelled to Tiền Giang to hide and treat the injuries he received from the fall.[22] When his wounds had healed, in April 1995, he returned to Thủ Đức again to meet his two former accomplices to ask for money for expenses. Weeks later, in the middle of the night, he took his wife and children to Buôn Ma Thuột City, Đắk Lắk.[23] To get money, Phước attempted theft several times but failed. So after a short time, in July 1995, they went back to Thủ Đức.[22]

an AK-47 rifle, a weapon that Phước often used to commit robberies.

In Thủ Đức, Phước and his accomplice Nguyễn Kim Sơn broke into a house and stole two motorbikes, selling them for nearly 7.5 g (0.26 ounces) of gold. With the money, they went to Tây Ninh and bought two AK rifles. After coming back to Thủ Đức, Phước and Sơn, each armed with a folding-stock AK rifle, would ride out together on a motorbike to search for victims.[22] On the night of 15 August, in Thuận An, Bình Dương province, they stopped a motorbike carrying a married couple, shot the husband dead and seriously wounded the wife.[23] A few days later, at the end of August, while he was driving another accomplice on a motorbike, they encountered a roadblock set up by the Thủ Đức District Police.[24] He managed to escape the police, then sold his motorbike for 26.3 g (0.93 ounces) of gold and went back to Buôn Ma Thuột City to rent a house, disguising himself as a coffee plantation worker. During the day, Phước stayed indoors, only going out at night to commit crimes to get money for his expenses.[22]

On 1 October 1995, Phước broke into a house to steal money.[25] However, the owner Hóa Công Hoàng and his family got home earlier than Phước expected. Phước then pointed a gun at Hoàng, and ordered him to use his motorbike to drive Phước away. After travelling about 50 meters, Hoàng suddenly let go of the handlebars and spun around, causing both of them to fall. Phước fired but only grazed Hoàng's neck and deafened him. Hoàng managed to hold Phước, the gun getting stuck between them. A few minutes later, neighbors arrived to assist Hoàng and his wife, disarming Phước before handing him over to the police.[26][27]

At the police station, Phước called himself Tâm. He had no identification papers, and had had three bullets in his pocket and an AK-47 rifle when he was caught. Seeing his eight fingers and the eagle tattoo on his back, the police immediately identified him.[25] On 29 April 1996, 13 defendants in Phước's robbery gang, himself included, were tried at the Hồ Chí Minh City People's Court [vi]. Phước received his second death sentence, and was executed by firing squad in Long Bình.[23]

Grave

Phước was buried next to the Long Bình execution ground; his grave was considered by a gravedigger of the execution ground as the "most magnificent and dignified" compared to the others.[5] The tomb was built by money from those who had received his "good fortune" that he supposedly brings in lottery.[28]

On 29 April 1997, one year after his death, Phước's henchmen came and demanded to exhume his body and take it away. However, when they opened the coffin, the stench of death was said to be "so strong that they all fled in panic".[29][30] Due to growing rumors about his corpse being sacred, some gamblers and gangsters have reportedly prayed and performed rituals at his grave due to beliefs that it brings good fortune and lottery luck.[28][31][32] They tended to arrive in groups, at midnight and by car. The increasing activity surrounding this practice has prompted local authorities to implement measures, including the deployment of guards in this area.[33]

Personal life

During a reconnaissance mission to prepare for a new operation, Phước met a girl with whom he later fell in love.[9][34] Being rejected by her several times and knowing she already had a fiance, Phước approached her one night and threatened to harm her family.[35] Terrified by Phước's threats, she cancelled her engagement with her future husband and became his wife.[36] The rumors among the underworld claimed that, instead of his wedding attire, he went to his wife's parents' house and asked for her hand in marriage with a gun;[8][7] however, she said that the story was "completely untrue".[35]

After the execution of Phước, she gave birth to their first daughter.[37]

References

  1. ↑ Nguyễn, Như Phong (24 June 2009). ""Lò bát quái" Chí Hòa - Những chuyện sau cửa ngục" [Chi Hoa's "Eight-Trigrams Furnace" – Stories from Behind the Prison Gates]. Công an nhân dân. Archived from the original on 19 April 2014. Retrieved 3 July 2026.
  2. ↑ "Phước "tám ngón": Câu chuyện khởi đầu tội lỗi" [Phuoc "Eight Fingers": The beginning of his crimes.]. Tri thức và Cuộc sống (in Vietnamese). 22 January 2018. Retrieved 18 June 2026.
  3. ↑ Lăng Như (2 November 2011). "Phước tám ngón và câu chuyện khởi đầu tội lỗi" ['Eight-Fingered' and the story of the beginning of sin.]. Infonet News (in Vietnamese). Retrieved 18 June 2026.
  4. ↑ Thành Dũng, Nguyễn (18 May 2012). "Bộ đôi sát thủ và hành trình lên chức "cậu"" [The killer duo and their journey to becoming "uncle"]. Công an nhân dân (in Vietnamese). Retrieved 18 June 2026.
  5. 1 2 "Làm luật tại ngôi mộ tướng cướp Phước "tám ngón"" [Making law at the grave of the bandit leader Phuoc "eight fingers"]. Pháp Luật Thành phố Hồ Chí Minh (in Vietnamese). 24 August 2012. Retrieved 18 June 2026.
  6. 1 2 PV (21 January 2018). "Phước "tám ngón" (Kỳ 1): Câu chuyện khởi đầu tội lỗi" [Phuoc "Eight Fingers" (Part 1): The Story of the Beginning of Sin]. Dân Việt. Retrieved 18 June 2026.
  7. 1 2 3 Nh (19 January 2016). "'Sát thủ máu lạnh' ăn hết nửa con gà trước khi ra trường bắn" ['Cold-blooded killer' devours half a chicken before going to the firing squad.]. Người Đưa Tin (in Vietnamese). Retrieved 20 June 2026.
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 Đ.H. (21 March 2010). "Phước "tám ngón" và vụ vượt ngục Chí Hoà" [Phuoc "eight fingers" and the Chi Hoa prison escape.]. Công an nhân dân (in Vietnamese). Retrieved 18 June 2026.
  9. 1 2 3 4 5 "Tướng cướp khét tiếng vượt ngục chấn động giới giang hồ" [A notorious bandit's prison escape sends shockwaves through the criminal underworld.]. Giáo dục Việt Nam (in Vietnamese). 31 October 2011. Retrieved 19 June 2026.
  10. 1 2 3 4 5 Minh Châu (24 September 2017). "Tử tù hy hữu thoát khỏi "trận đồ" Chí Hòa nhờ chiếc dao lam" [A death row inmate miraculously escaped from Chi Hoa prison thanks to a razor blade.]. Pháp Luật Plus (in Vietnamese). Retrieved 19 June 2026.
  11. ↑ "Tướng cướp khét tiếng Phước tám ngón và cuộc vượt ngục không tưởng bằng dao lam" [Notorious bandit Phuoc "eight fingers" and his incredible prison escape using a razor blade.]. Đời sống pháp luật. 14 November 2017. Retrieved 19 June 2026.
  12. 1 2 3 Duy Minh (24 November 2013). "Tử tù Phước "tám ngón" cưa đứt cùm sắt bằng dao lam, đào tẩu ngoạn mục khỏi phòng biệt giam" [Death row inmate Phuoc "eight fingers" sawed through his iron shackles with a razor blade, making a spectacular escape from his solitary confinement cell.]. Báo Điện tử An ninh Thủ đô (in Vietnamese). Retrieved 19 June 2026.
  13. 1 2 3 PV (28 January 2018). "Phước "tám ngón" (Kỳ 2): Cuộc vượt ngục không tưởng" [Phuoc "Eight Fingers" (Part 2): The Unbelievable Escape]. Dân Việt. Retrieved 19 June 2026.
  14. ↑ Lăng Nhu (2 November 2011). "Cuộc vượt ngục không tưởng của Phước 'tám ngón'" [The incredible prison escape of Phuoc 'eight fingers']. Infonet News (in Vietnamese). Retrieved 19 June 2026.
  15. 1 2 Hoàng Ánh (12 August 2014). "Cuộc vượt ngục không tưởng của tử tù khỏi phòng biệt giam" [The incredible escape of a death row inmate from solitary confinement.]. Soha (in Vietnamese). Retrieved 20 June 2026.
  16. ↑ "Cuộc đào tẩu lịch sử trong trại giam Chí Hòa" [The historic escape from Chi Hoa prison.]. VnExpress. 3 April 2010. Retrieved 20 June 2026.
  17. ↑ "Những vụ vượt ngục khó tin của tử tù ở Việt Nam" [Incredible prison escapes by death row inmates in Vietnam.]. Tạp chí Pháp Lý (in Vietnamese). 17 September 2017. Retrieved 20 June 2026.
  18. ↑ "Dùng dao lam cưa đứt song sắt, cuộc vượt ngục không tưởng của tử tù Phước 'tám ngón'" [Using a razor blade to saw through the bars, death row inmate Phuoc 'eight fingers' staged an unbelievable escape.]. Nghệ An 24h (in Vietnamese). 2017. Retrieved 20 June 2026.
  19. ↑ Thanh Trúc (1 October 2017). "Những cuộc trốn tù không tưởng của Phước 8 ngón và Hùng thẹo" [The unbelievable prison escapes of Phuoc Eight Fingers and Hung Scar.]. Tuổi Trẻ (in Vietnamese). Retrieved 20 June 2026.
  20. 1 2 Minh, Báo Pháp Luật TP Hồ Chí (14 September 2017). "Những cuộc vượt ngục hiếm hoi của tử tù" [Rare prison escapes by death row inmates]. Báo Pháp Luật TP. Hồ Chí Minh (in Vietnamese). Retrieved 20 June 2026.
  21. ↑ Petrotimes, Báo điện tử (24 December 2018). "Chiến dịch truy lùng tử tù vượt ngục chưa từng có của Công an Hà Nội (Kỳ 1)" [Hanoi Police's Unprecedented Hunt for Escaped Death Row Prisoner (Part 1)]. Petro Times (in Vietnamese). Retrieved 20 June 2026.
  22. 1 2 3 4 VnExpress. "Hành trình trốn chạy của tử tù" [The escape journey of a death row inmate]. vnexpress.net (in Vietnamese). Archived from the original on 13 June 2024. Retrieved 20 June 2026.
  23. 1 2 3 "Cuộc đời ông trùm Phước "tám ngón" (Kỳ cuối): Án tử hình lần thứ hai" [The life of crime boss Phuoc "eight fingers" (Final part): A second death sentence.]. Dân Việt Newspaper. 2 February 2018. Retrieved 20 June 2026.
  24. ↑ "Chiến dịch truy lùng tử tù vượt ngục: Đêm kinh hoàng ở Chí Hoà" [The hunt for the escaped death row inmate: A terrifying night at Chi Hoa prison.]. Công an Nhân dân - Hệ sinh thái truyền thông đa nền tảng (in Vietnamese). 25 March 2010. Retrieved 24 June 2026.
  25. 1 2 Nam, Báo Pháp Luật Việt (9 August 2015). "Nghệ sĩ guitar tay không tước súng tướng cướp Phước "tám ngón"" [Guitarist single-handedly disarms bandit Phuoc "eight fingers".]. Báo Pháp Luật Việt Nam (in Vietnamese). Retrieved 24 June 2026.
  26. ↑ ONLINE, TUOI TRE (3 December 2012). "Gặp người tay không bắt Phước "tám ngón"" [Meeting the man who caught Phuoc "eight fingers" empty-handed.]. TUOI TRE ONLINE (in Vietnamese). Retrieved 24 June 2026.
  27. ↑ Online, Báo Giáo dục và Thời đại (12 February 2016). "Hồi ức của "nhạc công" tay không bắt "trùm giang hồ" Phước "tám ngón"" [Recollections of the "musician" who single-handedly captured crime boss Eight-Finger Phước]. Báo Giáo dục và Thời đại Online (in Vietnamese). Retrieved 24 June 2026.
  28. 1 2 "Những chuyện khó tin ở 'nghĩa địa tử tù' giữa Sài thành" [Unbelievable stories from the 'graveyard of executed prisoners' in the middle of Saigon.]. Znews.vn (in Vietnamese). 26 August 2013. Retrieved 25 June 2026.
  29. ↑ "Bí ẩn ở pháp trường Long Bình" [Mystery at Long Binh Execution Ground]. VnExpress. 8 June 2012. Retrieved 25 June 2026.
  30. ↑ "Đồn thổi kỳ bí xin số đề ở mộ đại ca giang hồ Phước "tám ngón"". Báo Tri thức và Cuộc sống - TIN TỨC PHỔ BIẾN KIẾN THỨC 24H (in Vietnamese). 17 March 2017. Retrieved 25 June 2026.
  31. ↑ luật, Đời sống và Pháp. "Những trò quái gở ở ngôi mộ Phước "tám ngón"" [Bizarre antics at the tomb of Phuoc "eight fingers"]. Báo Đời sống & Pháp luật (in Vietnamese). Retrieved 25 June 2026.
  32. ↑ VCCorp.vn (17 August 2014). "Tử tù Phước "tám ngón": Những lời đồn thổi nơi mộ phần đầy tử khí" [Death row inmate Phuoc "eight fingers": Rumors circulating about his grave filled with deathly aura.]. Soha (in Vietnamese). Retrieved 25 June 2026.
  33. ↑ "Mưu sinh trên xác tử tù" [Making a living off the corpses of executed prisoners.]. Công an Nhân dân - Hệ sinh thái truyền thông đa nền tảng (in Vietnamese). 8 September 2013. Retrieved 25 June 2026.
  34. ↑ "Tướng cướp khét tiếng và mối tình với người phụ nữ "tuyệt sắc"" [The notorious bandit and his love affair with a "stunningly beautiful" woman.]. Soha (in Vietnamese). 13 August 2014. Retrieved 19 June 2026.
  35. 1 2 Today, Phụ Nữ (27 September 2012). "Mỹ nhân khiến tướng cướp khét tiếng 'say như điếu đổ'" [The beauty who made the notorious bandit fall head over heels for her.]. Bao Phu nu (in Vietnamese). Retrieved 19 June 2026.
  36. ↑ "Chuyện về người vợ hờ của Phước tám ngón" [The story of Phuoc "eight fingers"'s unofficial wife.]. Tin tức 24h (in Vietnamese). Retrieved 19 June 2026.
  37. ↑ ""Vòng kim cô" kiếp hồng nhan" ["The golden hoop" of a beautiful woman's fate.]. sonla.vnpt.vn. Retrieved 19 June 2026.
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