bombing attempt and, 246
Bridgeport gang activities investigated by, 213
BTK arrests and, 267, 268
career background of, 129, 215
interrogation tactics and, 223
Oldham resented by, 183, 215–216
physical appearance of, 216 surveillance efforts of, 255, 258
Tinh Ngo’s information, 121, 122, 123, 124, 129, 131, 138, 155
Saigon:
U.S. evacuation of, 219
wartime conditions in, 34–36
sai lows, 6
St. Petersburg, Fla., computer chips heisted in, 221–222, 223
Sandy (Tinh Ngo’s girlfriend), 76–78
Shadow Boy (BTK member):
arrest of, 269
at BTK funeral, 1
disciplinary actions and, 171
recorder light spotted by, 177–178
as Rikers Island inmate, 66
at safe house, 176
at unauthorized Canal Street robbery, 168–169, 214
Sham, Tina, 136, 232
Sikhiu, 23
Simmons family, 23–24
Sing Tao Jih Pao, 89
Sinta Lounge, 57–58
Son, see Do, Tam Thanh
Songkhla, 23
Sonny (BTK member), 40, 44
Sony microcassette, 175
Southern California, Latino gangs in, 230
Stallone, Sylvester, 258
Steven, Dung, 40, 149
subway muggings, 27
Sun Moon Trading Inc., 257
Sun Wa Jewelry Store, 103, 107–113, 162, 203, 204–205, 208
SWAT team, 266–267
Ta, Sen Van, 124–128, 134–138, 147–154
background of, 117–118, 125–127
extortion resisted by, 118–119
murder of, 148–154, 156–157, 158, 161, 197, 232, 235, 272, 273
police aided by, 116–117, 124–125, 127–128, 134, 135–137, 148, 154
robbery of, 115–116, 118, 120
Tale of Kieu, The (Du), 145, 238–239, 283
Tao-te Ching, The (Lao-tzu), 11 tattoos, 28–29
Teardrop (Nguieu Tun), 1, 116–117, 269
Tet, 115
Tet Offensive, 35
Thai, Dieu, 36
Thai, Tho Hoang (David) (Anh Hai), 185
on accidental killing, 75
ambitions of, 192, 198, 291
arrest of, 266–271, 281, 282
benevolent posture of, 6, 37–38, 67, 237, 262, 271, 275
BTK organized by, 39–43
Canal Street merchants controlled by, 33, 114, 119, 125
cemetery shootout and, 73–74, 89
childhood of, 34–36, 91
Chinatown offices of, 32
Chinatown status quo challenged by, 53, 58
in Chinese gang, 37
counterfeit watches marketed by, 30–31, 33, 38
dai low chosen by, 135, 170
emigration of, 36
emotional defense offered by, 274–276
English skills of, 32
errant members punished by, 44–45, 159, 168, 170–172, 214–215, 272
evidence gathered on, 209, 215, 242
in fictionalized gang history, 199
gang name for, 6, 29
on gang violence meeting, 89
girlfriend of, 90
Golden Star arrests and, 117, 119
Jade Squad surveillance of, 61, 62–64
Jaguar driven by, 61, 63, 257
joint law-enforcement raid eluded by, 187, 188
leadership style of, 42–45, 201, 210, 239, 241, 243, 265, 271
locus of operations expanded by, 90–91, 95, 101, 226
Long Island homes of, 90, 157, 199, 244, 254, 266–267, 277
Mafia links to operations of, 252, 253, 259–260, 291
marriages of, 36, 89–90, 242, 275
massage parlors run by, 32, 77, 89, 90, 91, 95, 259–260
members’ commitment to, 6, 42, 167, 227–228, 237–239, 272, 275, 279–280
Newsday interview of, 274–276, 285
out-of-state operations and, 95, 96–97, 98, 101–107, 109, 110–112, 113, 123, 209
physical appearance of, 6, 32, 199
poetry written by, 273–274
police harassment engineered by, 33–34
police information on, 122, 123, 131, 173, 223
restaurant bombing planned by, 245–246, 251–252, 253
retribution murder ordered by, 149, 152, 156
rival of, 221, 222, 223
robberies planned by, 91, 92, 97, 111, 174, 181–182, 185–186, 193–194, 202, 223–227, 244, 253–257, 260
robbery targets chosen by, 103, 117, 138, 185, 226
secret recordings of, 173, 174–175
sentence of, 291
thwarted robberies and, 188, 193–194, 197–198, 227–228, 260
Tinh Ngo’s undercover work and, 158–159, 161, 260, 264, 275–276
Tinh Ngo’s withdrawal and, 261–264
tong leader snubbed by, 68, 70–71
trial of, 276–281
in turf conflicts, 46–48, 130
Vietnamese boys aided by, 38–39, 210, 237, 262
weapons obtained by, 131, 202
Thailand, refugee camps in, 23, 206–207, 210
Thirty-six Oaths, 51
Tien Phong, 160
Tieu, see Tran, Thanh Tisdale, Don:
background of, 160, 215
Blackeyes’ interrogation and, 222, 223
bombing attempt and, 246
Bridgeport gang operations investigated by, 213
BTK arrests and, 267
Jagmohan’s statement obtained by, 214
Oldham resented by, 183, 215–216
robbery plans thwarted by, 194, 226–227
surveillance efforts of, 255, 258–259
tongs, 50–53
BTK challenges to, 58
initiation rituals for, 51
leaders of, 68, 69, 83, 84, 87
as legitimate business organizations, 51–52
police policies on, 59
triads as model for, 51
turf conflicts between, 50, 69, 70
youth gangs connected to, 51–53, 69–71, 232, 290
Tran, Bao Hung (Nicky):
at bar robbery, 57
nightclub doorman held up by, 104–105
on out-of-state robbery trips, 97, 98
at Sun Wa heist, 107, 108, 110, 111–112
Tran, Eddie, see Tran, Thanh
Tran, Hoa, 131
Tran, Lan Ngoc (Uncle Lan):
alienation of, 199, 200
arrest of, 267, 268, 269, 270, 281, 282
background of, 91–92, 198–199, 200–201
betrayal accusations made by, 196–197, 198, 201
in Bridgeport robberies, 93–95, 96, 97, 213–214
brotherhood ethos promoted by, 263–264
gang members’ respect for, 91, 92, 200–201
gang named by, 92, 201
Georgia operations and, 98, 106, 107, 108, 109–110, 112
girlfriend of, 103
government surveillance of, 173, 175, 254, 255, 256–259
photo identification of, 213–214
physical appearance of, 92, 96, 151, 256
Tran, Lan Ngoc (Uncle Lan) (cont)
police information on, 223
prosecution of, 273, 276, 278, 281
robbery plans and, 174, 181, 182, 183, 185, 186, 187, 193–194, 201–202, 225, 226, 227, 244, 254–259
at Rochester police raid, 188, 189
ruthlessness of, 92, 109–110, 113, 199–200
safe house used by, 157
sentence of, 291
store owners shot by, 109–110, 120, 148–152, 163, 185–186, 197, 203, 206, 208, 273, 278
Tinh Ngo’s withdrawal and, 263–264
writings of, 199–200, 273, 275
Tran, Qui, 62
Tran, Thanh (Eddie) (Tieu), 243
ar
rest of, 269
David Thai’s behavior toward, 241, 242, 272
physical appearance of, 34
police van bombed by, 33–34, 39, 47, 225
prosecutorial testimony of, 272
robbery assignments resisted by, 225, 256, 272
surveillance of, 257
Tran, Tuan (Blackeyes):
arrest of, 221–222, 261
Brooklyn apartment of, 224, 255
at BTK funeral, 1
computer chips heisted by, 221–222, 262
contract on Tinh Ngo and, 261–262, 264
as dai low, 28, 221
at David Thai’s first gang meeting, 39
interrogation of, 222–223
at massage-parlor robbery, 14, 15, 16, 17, 28, 123
physical appearance of, 27–28, 221
popularity of, 221
robbery targets chosen by, 17, 28
separate gang organized by, 221
Vietnamese background of, 17
Tran, Vinh, 150–151, 273
Trang, Diem (Linda), 104
Trang, Lam, 47–48, 130
triads, 51, 84
Trinh, Huyen (Albert):
ATF training of, 217–218, 223
background of, 217, 218–220, 270–271
BTK arrests and, 221, 222–223, 270–271
education of, 217, 218, 220
physical appearance of, 217
secret recordings transcribed by, 234–236
Tinh Ngo’s relationship with, 217, 236–237, 239–241, 264
undercover work of, 235, 270
Truong, Lam, 241, 243, 247
Tsung Tsin Association, 58, 87, 290
Tun, Nguieu (Teardrop), 1, 116–117, 269
Tung On Association, 58, 289–290
turf conflicts, 46–48, 53, 57–59, 61–62, 113–114
Tyre, Peg, 197, 274
Uncle Lan, see Tran, Lan Ngoc
United Bamboo, 38, 285
United Orient Bank, 84, 85
United States v. David Thai, et al., 276–281
urban violence, escalation of, 229, 230
see also gang violence
Vientiane Restaurant, 96–97, 213
Viet-Ching, 6
Viet-Kieu, 23, 26, 238, 241
Vietnam:
airlifts from, 219
history of, 238
postwar economic collapse of, 19
refugee boats from, 16, 19–23, 99, 220
U.S. military in, 9, 18, 34–36
wartime devastation of, 18–19, 34–36
Vietnamese:
mythic literature of suffering by, 238–239
surnames of, 100–101
Tet celebrated by, 115
as victims of evil karma, 238
Vietnamese Flying Dragons, 37
see also Flying Dragons
Vietnamese immigrants:
as boat people, 20, 99, 220
Chinese attitudes toward, 37, 38, 54, 78
community organization for, 87
nightclub entertainment of, 104
political factions among, 160–161
rootlessness of, 98–100
unique difficulties faced by, 87–88
at U.S. army bases, 219
Vietnamese language, transcription difficulties for, 235–236
Vietnamese youth gangs:
African-American behavior adopted by, 55
Asians targeted by, 54, 100, 226
community ties lacked by, 9, 58, 61
home invasions by, 100
nationwide scope of, 98, 100, 291
other Asian gangs vs., 27
recklessness of, 133
in Southern California, 220
U.S. law enforcement difficulties with, 100–102
see also Born to Kill
Vinegrad, Alan:
arrests approved by, 267
background of, 191
BTK case undertaken by, 190, 191, 192–193
BTK trial and, 276, 279, 281
evidence compiled for, 233, 252, 272, 276–277
prior RICO prosecutions handled by, 191–192
Tinh Ngo interviewed by, 193, 277
White Mare narcotics cases prosecuted by, 191–192
Vinnie (BTK member), 40
violence, see gang violence
Vu, Kenny, 279
arrest of, 67
at Bridgeport operations, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97
at Brooklyn safe-house apartments, 27, 54–57, 157
crack smoked by, 55–56
at first BTK gathering, 40
gang girlfriends and, 76, 77
Georgia-based activities and, 97, 98, 102, 104, 107, 108, 110, 112
Ghost Shadows hangout raided by, 57, 58
massage parlors robbed by, 14, 15, 16, 93, 94, 221
physical appearance of, 26
store owner’s murder and, 148, 149–150, 151–152, 158, 273
tattoos of, 56
testimony given by, 272, 273
Tinh Ngo’s undercover work and, 158–159, 167
Vietnamese background of, 26
on violent robberies, 17
Vu, Tommy, 28, 77
at Brooklyn safe-house apartment, 27, 54
disciplinary procedures and, 44
at first BTK gathering, 40
letter to Thai from, 279–280
massage parlor robbed by, 13–17, 221
Vietnamese background of, 17, 26
Vu, Vinh (Amigo):
as Chinatown dai low, 4, 57, 67, 68, 75, 135, 170
at first BTK meeting, 39, 42
gang boundaries bridged by, 62–63
robbery proceeds brought to, 57
shootout at funeral of, 4–8, 71–74, 172, 277
War on Drugs, 165
watches, counterfeit, 30–31, 33, 38
W. C. Produce, 75, 176–177
weapons:
availability of, 106, 230
BTK supply of, 106, 131, 133, 185–186, 187, 188, 190, 202, 209, 269
increased sophistication of, 229
West Side Story, 229
Wheat Ridge, Colo., robbery at Catholic church in, 203–204
wheel men, 150
White Eagles, 60
White Mare, 191–192
Winnie’s Bar, 61–62
Witness Security Program (WITSEC), 282
Wonder Wheel, 77
Wong, Jimmy:
Asian robbery targets specified by, 54
as Brooklyn dai low, 40, 44, 45
robbery proceeds claimed by, 44
Wong, Paul (Foochow Paul), 232
Woo, John, 72
World Journal, 89
Year of the Dragon, 286
youth gangs:
African-American, 76, 229–230
anarchistic behavior of, 231
California prison system riddled with, 230
Chicano, 37–38
Chinese, 37–38
colors associated with, 230
drive-by shootings by, 229, 231, 233
economic hopelessness and, 230
ethnic divisions maintained by, 252
innocent bystanders as victims of, 231, 233
profit motive for, 230–231, 279
youth gangs (cont)
recruitment for, 60–61
retribution murders committed by, 4–8, 71–74, 79–80, 86, 136, 148–154, 232
tong alliances of, 51–53, 69–71, 232, 290
turf disputes among, 46–48, 53, 57–59, 61–62, 113–114, 230, 290
violence escalated by, 229, 230, 231, 232
see also Vietnamese youth gangs; specific gangs
About the Author
As a journalist and nonfiction author, Thomas Joseph “T. J.” English (b. 1957) is one of America’s foremost authorities on the recent history of crime. Born in Tacoma, Washington, he moved to New York in 1981, where he spent his nights driving a taxi and his days writing for Irish America magazine, producing a series of articles that would lead to his fi
rst book, The Westies (1990), an account of the last decades of a once-powerful Irish mob.
Since then English has written about Vietnamese gangs, mafia infiltration of pre-Castro Cuba, and, in Savage City (2011), the history of racial tension between New York City’s police and its citizens. He has written magazine articles on modern crime for Playboy, Esquire, and New York magazine, and has also written for the screen, producing episodes for the gritty cop shows NYPD Blue and Homicide: Life on the Street. He lives in New York City.
All rights reserved, including without limitation the right to reproduce this ebook or any portion thereof in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of the publisher.
Whitey’s Payback Copyright © 2013 by T. J. English
The Westies Copyright © 1990, 2006 by T. J. English
Born to Kill Copyright © 1995 by T. J. English
Cover design by Andrea C. Uva
ISBN 978-1-5040-5139-2
This 2018 edition published by MysteriousPress.com/Open Road Integrated Media, Inc.
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T. J. ENGLISH
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