30 alleged members, associates of Sex Money Murder gang indicted in Georgia
A multi-agency taskforce gears up to arrest 30 individuals during a crackdown on the SSM gang in Atlanta on May 15, 2025. (U.S. Attorney's Office, Southern District of Georgia)
ATLANTA - Federal authorities have unsealed an eight-count indictment in the Southern District of Georgia charging 30 alleged members and associates of the violent street gang Sex Money Murder (SMM) with a wide range of crimes, including racketeering conspiracy, murder in aid of racketeering, drug trafficking, and pandemic-related fraud.
What we know:
According to court documents, the SMM gang—a subset of the nationally known Bloods gang—used extreme violence to enforce internal rules, including the murder of a 19-year-old member who tried to leave the organization. Another gang member was repeatedly stabbed in jail for alleged homosexual activity. The gang also operated sophisticated drug trafficking operations, distributing methamphetamine, heroin, and cocaine throughout the Savannah area, and defrauded federal COVID-19 relief and unemployment benefit programs, with intended losses exceeding $850,000.
SMM's reach extended inside and outside the Georgia Department of Corrections, with several alleged crimes orchestrated from prison using contraband cell phones. Seven of the defendants are accused of directing violent and fraudulent activity while incarcerated.
A multi-agency taskforce gears up to arrest 30 individuals during a crackdown on the SSM gang in Atlanta on May 15, 2025. (U.S. Attorney's Office, Southern District of Georgia)
One of the most disturbing incidents detailed in court records occurred in February 2020, when a young member who had expressed a desire to leave the gang was lured into a car under the pretense of attending a meeting. He was later shot and killed in a rural area by fellow SMM members, allegedly in retaliation for accusing a senior member of misconduct.
If convicted, defendants face penalties ranging from up to 20 years to life in prison or death, depending on the charges, which include murder, racketeering, and wire fraud conspiracy.
OTHER SMM STORIES
- 2 teens indicted for murder of 20-year-old at Athens apartments
- 'Sex Money Murder' gang RICO indictment: 23 face charges spanning more than a decade
- State leaders announce indictment of 17 alleged gang members
- Gang leaders found guilty of shooting that killed 9-month-old
- Former gang member says he was targeted for leaving
What they're saying:
The indictment is the result of a joint investigation by the FBI, ATF, U.S. Department of Labor, Georgia Bureau of Investigation, Georgia Department of Corrections, and numerous other federal, state, and local agencies, under the umbrella of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF). Prosecutors from the DOJ’s Violent Crime and Racketeering Section and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Georgia are leading the case.
Officials praised the multi-agency coordination and reaffirmed their commitment to dismantling violent gangs operating in Georgia communities and correctional facilities.
What we don't know:
At this time, no names or mug shots of the accused have been released.