Vietnamese man digs up uncle's grave in disturbing attempt to settle gambling debts, arrested

A 37-year-old man in Vietnam was arrested for stealing his uncle's bones to extort £167,000 from his family, citing gambling debts as his motive.

In a shocking case from northern Vietnam’s Thanh Hoa province, 37-year-old Luu Thanh Nam was arrested for stealing bones from his uncle’s grave and attempting to extort money from his family. The man reportedly demanded 5 billion Vietnamese dong (£167,000) from his extended family to repay gambling debts.

A man in Vietnam stole his uncle's bones to extort £167,000 for gambling debts.(Pixabay)

The incident, which occurred on 9 September, was reported by the South China Morning Post. Nam’s uncle, who had died four years prior, was the father of his cousin, Luu Thanh Hoi.

Grave desecration and threats

Armed with a shovel, Nam dug a 20cm hole in his uncle’s grave and removed a portion of the remains. He then hid the bones in a nearby rubbish pile before sending an anonymous message to Hoi’s wife, threatening never to return the remains unless the family paid the ransom. In a chilling warning, Nam also cautioned the family against involving the authorities, claiming they would lose the remains forever if they did so.

In Vietnamese culture, disturbing a grave is seen as deeply disrespectful, as it is believed to disrupt the peace of the deceased’s soul and bring misfortune to the living. After recovering the remains, Hoi reburied his father in line with traditional customs, hoping to restore peace to his spirit.