Simon Mann, the former SAS officer whose life veered from elite British military circles to the heart of one of Africa’s most audacious coup plots, has died at the age of 72. Known as the mastermind behind the failed 2004 “wonga coup” in Equatorial Guinea, Mann passed away on May 8, 2025, of a heart attack, as confirmed by his family.
As reported by Times UK, Mann’s story reads more like a Frederick Forsyth thriller than a traditional obituary. The Old Etonian and son of an England cricket captain carved a remarkable and controversial path from the upper echelons of British society into the shadowy world of mercenary warfare. His daring, charm, and taste for high-stakes adventure made him a larger-than-life figure, though not without heavy consequences.
Mann rose to prominence after his arrest in Zimbabwe in 2004, where he was accused of leading a mercenary team aiming to overthrow the government of Equatorial Guinea in exchange for oil concessions worth millions. Dubbed the “wonga coup” after he famously begged plot backers — including Mark Thatcher — for a “splodge of wonga” to get him out of jail, the operation collapsed spectacularly. Mann was later extradited to Equatorial Guinea and sentenced to 34 years in the notorious Black Beach prison.
Yet, in classic Mann fashion, his fate took another dramatic turn. He served only 15 months before being unexpectedly pardoned by the very dictator he attempted to depose, President Teodoro Obiang Nguema. Many observers suspected a quiet deal had been struck, as Mann later testified against alleged coup financiers and enjoyed a relatively privileged prison stay with books, wine, and even lunches with government ministers.
Born into wealth on June 26, 1952, Simon Mann was educated at Eton and trained at Sandhurst before joining the elite SAS, where he became a specialist in counterterrorism. After leaving the military, he plunged into private security and mercenary operations, co-founding Executive Outcomes and Sandline International. These companies became key players in civil conflicts across Africa, notably Angola and Sierra Leone, often blurring the lines between military aid and profit-driven warfare.
Despite numerous brushes with legality and morality, Mann remained a charismatic figure. His autobiography, Cry Havoc, published in 2011, painted a self-portrait of a man driven by idealism and opportunity. In later years, he attempted a reinvention in the City, serving as chairman of Hydrogen Utopia International — a start-up aiming to convert plastic waste into hydrogen fuel, albeit with little technical knowledge on his part.
According to Times UK, Mann’s personal life was as turbulent as his professional one. Married three times, he is survived by seven children. His third wife Amanda, mother to four of his children, reportedly kept his passport “under lock and key” following his release, perhaps in a bid to prevent further escapades.
In a surprising twist emblematic of his unpredictable life, Mann was even said to have repaired relations with President Obiang, who later vouched for him in business dealings across Africa. “When you go tiger shooting,” Mann once said, “you don’t expect the tiger to win.” But Simon Mann’s story was rarely one of defeat — rather, a wild, dangerous dance with fate where he always seemed to land on his feet.
