Brazillian gang leader who tried to escape from prison by dressing up as his teenage daughter found dead

A Brazilian gang leader has been found dead in his prison cell three days after a bizarre masked jailbreak plot was foiled. Clauvino da Silva was caught by guards as he tried to walk out of the Rio de Janeiro prison disguised as his teenage daughter on Saturday.

Prison authorities said it appeared the convicted drug dealer hanged himself and have opened an investigation into his death. Da Silva was 42 and serving a 73-year sentence for drug trafficking.

He wore a creepy rubber mask, a wig and a pink t-shirt as he tried to escape prison dressed as his teenage daughter, who visited him that day.


A video showing officers removing his disguise bit by bit went viral. Authorities said his plan was to leave his 19-year-old daughter behind and walk out of the prison’s main door in her place. However, his nervousness as he tried to walk out of the main entrance gave him away.

After the failed escape bid, da Silva was transferred to maximum-security in prison and was set to face disciplinary sanctions. He was a leader in the Red Command, one of the most powerful criminal groups in Brazil. His daughter and seven other visitors were detained over the foiled breakout.

The death of Da Silva will come as an embarrassment to Rio’s prison authorities.