Simon Mann, Notorious Mercenary and Coup Plotter, Passes Away at 72

Simon Mann's life was marked by a failed coup attempt in Equatorial Guinea, military service, and a lengthy prison sentence.

Simon Mann, a former British Army officer and controversial mercenary known for his role in a 2004 coup attempt in Equatorial Guinea, has died of a heart attack while exercising. Friends confirmed his passing at the age of 72. Mann had amassed considerable wealth by providing security to businesses operating in conflict zones before becoming embroiled in the failed bid to unseat Equatorial Guinea’s ruler.

His involvement in the coup led to a 34-year prison sentence on arms charges, though Mann later claimed to be the "manager, not the architect" of the plot. In 2009, he was pardoned and given 48 hours to exit the country. Educated at the prestigious Eton College and the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, Mann served in the Scots Guards and the SAS, eventually rising to commander rank.

In a 2011 interview, he stated that the attempted coup, during which he and fellow mercenaries were arrested for trying to load weapons onto a plane in Zimbabwe, was thwarted by the CIA. Mann spent three years of his lengthy sentence in a Zimbabwean prison and was later transferred to Black Beach Prison in Equatorial Guinea, where he believed he faced grave danger.

Reflecting on his past, Mann expressed regret for his actions, stating that while monetary gains were significant, the moral implications ultimately overshadowed those profits.