A black activist has seized control of a neo-Nazi group – and is now seeking to dismantle the organisation from within.

Legal documents filed in Michigan listed James Stern as the new “director and president” of the National Socialist Movement (NSM).

The NSM is one of several extremist groups being sued over violence at the notorious “Unite the Right” rally in Charlottesville, Virginia in 2017, which resulted in the death of one protester.

A set of court papers published on Thursday suggests Stern intends to use his new position to undermine the group’s defence against the lawsuit.

Documents state the activist replaced Jeff Schoep as the NSM’s leader in January. The records give no indication of how or why he has been able to wrest control of the group.

Charlottesville one year on Show all 15 1 /15 Charlottesville one year on Charlottesville one year on Mary Grace, from Durham, North Carolina, walks through the downtown mall area August 11, 2018 in Charlottesville, Virginia. Charlottesville has been declared in a state of emergency by Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam as the city braces for the one year anniversary of the deadly clash between white supremacist forces and counter protesters over the potential removal of Confederate statues of Robert E. Lee and Jackson. A "Unite the Right" rally featuring some of the same groups is planned for tomorrow in Washington, DC. Getty Charlottesville one year on Chris Jessee (R) hands out placards to people visiting downtown Charlottesville as the city marks the anniversary of last year's 'Unite the Right rally' in Charlottesville, Virginia, USA, 11 August 2018. On 12 August 2017, a bloody clash between white supremacists and counterprotestors in Charlottesville left three people dead and dozens injured Getty Charlottesville one year on A member of the Virginia State Police waits outside the park where a statue of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee is located August 11, 2018 in Charlottesville, Virginia. Charlottesville has been declared in a state of emergency by Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam as the city braces for the one year anniversary of a deadly clash between white supremacist forces and counter protesters over the potential removal of Confederate statues of Robert E. Lee and Jackson. A "Unite the Right" rally featuring some of the same groups is planned for tomorrow in Washington, DC Reuters Charlottesville one year on A woman displays a shirt ahead of the one-year anniversary of 2017 Charlottesville "Unite the Right" protests, in Charlottesville, Virginia, U.S., August 10, 2018. Reuters Charlottesville one year on A sign reading "Strength, which was taken down at the request of police officers, hangs by the statue of Civil War Confederate General Robert E. Lee, ahead of the one-year anniversary of 2017 Charlottesville "Unite the Right" protests, in Charlottesville, Virginia, U.S., August 10, 2018. Reuters Charlottesville one year on Law enforcement arrives ahead of the one year anniversary of 2017 Charlottesville "Unite the Right" protests, in Charlottesville, Virginia, U.S., August 10, 2018 Reuters Charlottesville one year on A vendor displays wares on the mall as State Police lock down the downtown area in anticipation of the anniversary of last year's Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville, Va., Saturday, Aug. 11, 2018. The Governor has declared a state of emergency in Charlottesville AP Charlottesville one year on A Police bike patrol takes a break in the downtown area in anticipation of the anniversary of last year's Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville, Va., Saturday, Aug. 11, 2018. State and local authorities framed the weekend's heightened security as a necessary precaution. AP Charlottesville one year on State Police arrest a local resident, John Miska, in the locked down downtown area in Charlottesville, Va., Saturday, Aug. 11, 2018. Miska purchased razor blades, which are banned items, in a downtown drugstore. On the the anniversary of white supremacist violence, state and local authorities framed the weekend's heightened security as a necessary precaution. AP Charlottesville one year on State Police escort local resident, John Miska, red hat, after he was arrested in the locked down downtown area in Charlottesville, Va., Saturday, Aug. 11, 2018. Miska purchased razor blades, which are banned items, in a downtown drugstore. On the the anniversary of white supremacist violence, state and local authorities framed the weekend's heightened security as a necessary precaution. AP Charlottesville one year on A group Anti-fascism demonstrators, march in the downtown area in anticipation of the anniversary of last year's Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville, Va., Saturday, AP Charlottesville one year on A group anti-fascism demonstrators march in the downtown area in anticipation of the anniversary of last year's Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville, Va., AP Charlottesville one year on People receive first-aid after a car accident ran into a crowd of protesters in Charlottesville, VA on August 12, 2017. A vehicle plowed into a crowd of people Saturday at a Virginia rally where violence erupted between white nationalist demonstrators and counter-protesters, witnesses said, causing an unclear number of injuries AFP/Getty Charlottesville one year on Alt-right rally members in Lee Park in Charlottesville, VA on Saturday August 12, 2017 White nationalist 'Unite the Right' rally, Charlottesville, USA Rex Charlottesville one year on A counter protester who got hit with a stick by alt-right member covered with blood on his face in Lee Park in Charlottesville, Rex

The feat has however drawn comparisons to the work of Ron Stallworth, an African American police officer whose work infiltrating the Ku Klux Klan was depicted in the Oscar-winning Spike Lee movie BlacKkKlansman.

Neither Mr Stern, who lives in California, nor Mr Schoep responded to emails and calls seeking comment.

Matthew Heimbach, a leading white nationalist figure who briefly served as the NSM’s community outreach director last year, said group leaders had been at odds with rank-and-file members over its direction.

Mr Heimbach said some members “essentially want it to remain a politically impotent white supremacist gang” and resisted ideological changes advocated by Mr Schoep.

He predicted Stern’s installation as its leader probably spells the end of the group in its current form, which had been active since 1994.

“I think it's kind of a sad obit for one of the longest-running white nationalist organisations,” Mr Heimbach added.

NSM members have in the past attended rallies and protests in full Nazi uniforms, including at a march in Toledo, Ohio, which sparked a riot in 2005.

More recently, Mr Schoep tried to rebrand the group and appeal to a new generation of racists and antisemites by toning down its more overt use of Nazi symbols.

Stern has apparently been trying for at least two years to disrupt NSM activities, with references to the group on his website dating back as far as February 2017.

On Wednesday, lawyers for the plaintiffs suing white supremacist groups and movement leaders over the Charlottesville violence asked the court to sanction Mr Schoep.

They say he has ignored refused to turn over documents and give them access to his electronic devices and social media accounts, also claiming he has fired his attorney as a stalling tactic.

A federal magistrate judge in Charlottesville ruled last Friday that Stern cannot represent the NSM in the case because he does not appear to be a licensed attorney.

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That ruling did not deter Stern from filing a request for summary judgment against his own group.

“It is the decision of the National Socialist Movement to plead liable to all causes of actions listed in the complaint against it,” he wrote.

While serving a five-year prison sentence for mail fraud, Stern struck up an unlikely friendship with one-time Ku Klux Klan leader Edgar Ray Killen.

Following his release, he set up Racial Reconciliation Outreach Ministries, an organisation which aims to promote people from all racial backgrounds “working together to achieve freedom for all.”