FBI Offers $30,000 Reward for Hung Tien Pham in Boston Chinatown Massacre Case

Fugitive Wanted in Five Murders

The FBI is offering a reward of up to $30,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of Hung Tien Pham, who is wanted for his alleged involvement in the execution-style murders of five men in Boston’s Chinatown neighborhood. The January 12, 1991, killings became locally known as the Boston Chinatown Massacre. Pham has remained a fugitive for more than three decades and is considered by the FBI to be armed and dangerous and an international flight risk.

Boston Chinatown Massacre

In the early morning hours of January 12, 1991, six men were playing cards inside an illegal gambling establishment at 85A Tyler Street in Boston, Massachusetts. According to the FBI, Pham and others allegedly entered the social club and shot the six men at close range in an execution-style attack. Five victims were killed, while one survived.

The surviving victim later identified Pham and two other men as the shooters, according to the FBI. The attack became one of the most notorious violent crimes associated with Boston’s Chinatown community. Authorities have continued pursuing Pham despite the decades that have passed since the murders.

Ping On Crime Syndicate Connection

The FBI identifies Pham as a known associate of the Ping On crime syndicate, an Asian organized crime group that operated in several North American cities during the 1980s and early 1990s. Investigators determined that Pham had organized-crime connections in Boston, Philadelphia, Chicago, and Toronto. These relationships have remained relevant to efforts to determine where he may have traveled after the murders.

Pham is the only defendant in the Chinatown massacre case who has not been arrested and convicted. Two other defendants, Nam The Tham and Siny Van Tran, were eventually arrested in China and returned to the United States. Both were convicted of murder in 2005 and received five consecutive life sentences.

Murder Charges Filed

On January 18, 1991, six days after the massacre, a Suffolk County grand jury indicted Pham. He was charged with five counts of murder, one count of armed assault with intent to murder, one count of conspiracy, and one count of carrying a firearm without a license. A Massachusetts arrest warrant was subsequently issued.

The FBI has also stated that the Boston Police Department wants Pham in connection with another murder committed on January 8, 1991, four days before the Chinatown massacre. Authorities have continued investigating his movements and associations in an effort to determine his present location. The charges against Pham remain allegations unless established through the judicial process.

Flight to Hong Kong

Following the Chinatown killings, Pham allegedly traveled to Atlantic City, New Jersey, before continuing to New York City. According to the FBI, he boarded a flight from New York to Hong Kong on February 1, 1991. His departure from the United States resulted in federal authorities becoming involved in the fugitive investigation.

On February 15, 1991, the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts issued a federal arrest warrant for Pham. He was federally charged with unlawful flight to avoid prosecution for murder. The investigation subsequently developed into a decades-long international search.

Last Known in Bangkok

Pham has traveled extensively and is known to have been in Canada, China, Vietnam, Thailand, and Hong Kong. According to the FBI, his last known location was Bangkok, Thailand, in the mid-to-late 1990s. Authorities have not publicly confirmed his current location.

Pham also has ties to Boston, Massachusetts; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Chicago, Illinois; Toronto, Canada; and California’s San Francisco Bay Area. The FBI has previously reported that he has family connections in North Vietnam, the San Francisco Bay Area, Toronto, and South Korea. Information concerning any of these international or domestic connections could potentially assist investigators.

FBI Description of Hung Tien Pham

The FBI lists Pham’s date of birth as January 22, 1960, and his birthplace as Mong Cai, Quang Ninh Province, North Vietnam. He is a Vietnamese national described as an Asian male with black hair and brown eyes. The FBI lists his height as approximately 5 feet 2 inches to 5 feet 4 inches and his weight as approximately 115 to 135 pounds.

Pham speaks Vietnamese, Chinese, and English. His previous occupations have included cook, waiter, bicycle repairman, and floor sander. Because the primary FBI photograph of Pham was taken in 1989, authorities have also released an age-progressed image showing how he may appear at an older age.

Numerous Aliases

Pham has used numerous names and aliases, which could complicate efforts to identify him after decades as a fugitive. The FBI lists aliases including Hung Pham, Pham Hung, Hung-Tien Pham, Hung Suk, Chung Hung Fan, Hung Tien Fan, Ah Hung, Fan Chung-Hung, and Tien Pham Hung. Individuals who recognize any of these names in connection with someone matching Pham’s description are encouraged to provide that information to investigators.

The FBI also describes Pham as having been a big spender who enjoyed flashy cars and cognac. Such behavioral information may help former acquaintances, coworkers, neighbors, or associates recognize him even if his physical appearance has changed substantially. Investigators have emphasized that information about where Pham previously lived can still be valuable even if the person providing the information does not know his current location.

Armed and Dangerous

The FBI warns that Hung Tien Pham should be considered armed and dangerous and an international flight risk. Anyone who believes they recognize him should not approach, confront, follow, or attempt to apprehend him. Possible sightings should be reported immediately to law enforcement.

The FBI’s Boston Field Office continues working with the Boston Police Department and other authorities on the investigation. Even information concerning Pham’s historical movements or associates may help investigators develop new leads. The Bureau has maintained the case despite the decades that have passed since the killings.

$30,000 Reward Offered

The FBI is offering a reward of up to $30,000 for information leading to Hung Tien Pham’s arrest and conviction. Anyone with information can contact the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324) or submit a tip through the Bureau’s official online reporting system. Individuals outside the United States may also contact the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate.