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Federal Grand Jury Charges Southern Poverty Law Center for Wire Fraud, False Statements, and Conspiracy to Commit Money Laundering

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Indictment  #1 in United States v. Southern Poverty Law Center, Inc. (M.D. Ala., 2:26-cr-00139)  CourtListener.com

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Trump administration sues Southern Poverty Law Center on fraud charges

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Why was the Southern Poverty Law Center indicted on federal fraud charges?

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Southern Poverty Law Center Charged With Financial Crimes

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FBI, DOJ accuses the left's SPLC of funneling money to KKK, other neo-Nazi movements

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A Beacon of Hope for 55 Years

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New York Post

DOJ charges Southern Poverty Law Center with fraud for paying white supremacist groups $3M to ‘stoke racial hatred’

An Alabama grand jury returned an indictment containing 11 federal fraud charges against the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) on Tuesday, including six counts of wire fraud, four counts of bank fraud and one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering.

An Alabama grand jury returned an indictment containing 11 federal fraud charges against the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) on Tuesday, including six counts of wire fraud, four counts of bank fraud and one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering.

Prosecutors allege that the SPLC paid at least $3 million between 2014 and 2023 to "field sources" (informants) affiliated with various extremist groups — including the Ku Klux Klan (KKK), the Aryan Nations and the National Socialist Party of America — without disclosing the payments to donors.

Prosecutors allege that the SPLC paid at least $3 million between 2014 and 2023 to "field sources" (informants) affiliated with various extremist groups — including the Ku Klux Klan (KKK), the Aryan Nations and the National Socialist Party of America — without disclosing the payments to donors.

According to the indictment, the SPLC routed the donor funds through numerous fictitious entities — including accounts named Fox Photography, North West Technologies and Tech Writers Group — before transferring the money to its informants via prepaid cards and masked ACH payments.

According to the indictment, the SPLC routed the donor funds through numerous fictitious entities — including accounts named Fox Photography, North West Technologies and Tech Writers Group — before transferring the money to its informants via prepaid cards and masked ACH payments.

In a video address released ahead of the indictment, interim SPLC CEO Bryan Fair defended the informant program, which began in the 1980s, as having saved lives by monitoring threats of violence from extremist groups and sharing information with federal and local law enforcement, including the FBI.

In a video address released ahead of the indictment, interim SPLC CEO Bryan Fair defended the informant program, which began in the 1980s, as having saved lives by monitoring threats of violence from extremist groups and sharing information with federal and local law enforcement, including the FBI.

The indictment follows the severance of all ties between the SPLC and the FBI in October 2025, with FBI Director Kash Patel at the time accusing the organization of having become "a partisan smear machine" and that its "hate map" had been used to "defame mainstream Americans."

Kash Patel

The indictment follows the severance of all ties between the SPLC and the FBI in October 2025, with FBI Director Kash Patel at the time accusing the organization of having become "a partisan smear machine" and that its "hate map" had been used to "defame mainstream Americans."

If convicted by the Middle District of Alabama, the SPLC would forfeit all financial gains alleged to have arisen from the informant program pursuant to Title 18, Sections 981(a)(1)(C) and Title 21, Sections 2461(с) and 853(p) of the United States Code.

If convicted by the Middle District of Alabama, the SPLC would forfeit all financial gains alleged to have arisen from the informant program pursuant to Title 18, Sections 981(a)(1)(C) and Title 21, Sections 2461(с) and 853(p) of the United States Code.

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The Southern Poverty Law Center was indicted on federal fraud charges by a grand jury in the Middle District of Alabama, with the 11-count indictment including six counts of wire fraud, four counts of bank fraud and one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering.

The Southern Poverty Law Center was indicted on federal fraud charges by a grand jury in the Middle District of Alabama, with the 11-count indictment including six counts of wire fraud, four counts of bank fraud and one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering.

Prosecutors alleged the SPLC paid at least $3 million between 2014 and 2023 to informants affiliated with groups including the Ku Klux Klan, the Aryan Nations and the National Socialist Party of America without disclosing the payments to donors.

Prosecutors alleged the SPLC paid at least $3 million between 2014 and 2023 to informants affiliated with groups including the Ku Klux Klan, the Aryan Nations and the National Socialist Party of America without disclosing the payments to donors.

According to the indictment, the SPLC routed donor funds through fictitious entities — including accounts named Fox Photography, North West Technologies and Tech Writers Group — before transferring money to informants via prepaid cards and masked ACH payments.

According to the indictment, the SPLC routed donor funds through fictitious entities — including accounts named Fox Photography, North West Technologies and Tech Writers Group — before transferring money to informants via prepaid cards and masked ACH payments.

SPLC CEO Bryan Fair said the informant program was used to monitor threats of violence and that the information gathered was frequently shared with the FBI and other law enforcement agencies. "There is no question that what we learned from informants saved lives," Fair said.

SPLC CEO Bryan Fair said the informant program was used to monitor threats of violence and that the information gathered was frequently shared with the FBI and other law enforcement agencies. "There is no question that what we learned from informants saved lives," Fair said.

FBI Director Kash Patel announced the bureau had severed all ties with the SPLC, stating the organization had become "a partisan smear machine" and that its "hate map" had been used to "defame mainstream Americans."

FBI Director Kash Patel announced the bureau had severed all ties with the SPLC, stating the organization had become "a partisan smear machine" and that its "hate map" had been used to "defame mainstream Americans."

Law professor Phil Hackney of the University of Pittsburgh described the indictment as an unusual legal approach, noting that nonprofit fraud cases typically involve individuals accused of misappropriating funds for personal gain rather than targeting how an organization spent its money.

Law professor Phil Hackney of the University of Pittsburgh described the indictment as an unusual legal approach, noting that nonprofit fraud cases typically involve individuals accused of misappropriating funds for personal gain rather than targeting how an organization spent its money.

The SPLC secretly funneled over $3 million in donor money to KKK members and neo-Nazi groups while publicly claiming to fight white supremacy. A federal grand jury indicted the organization on 11 counts including wire fraud and money laundering. Deceiving donors to bankroll the very extremists the SPLC claimed to oppose is a betrayal that deserves full prosecution.

The SPLC secretly funneled over $3 million in donor money to KKK members and neo-Nazi groups while publicly claiming to fight white supremacy. A federal grand jury indicted the organization on 11 counts including wire fraud and money laundering. Deceiving donors to bankroll the very extremists the SPLC claimed to oppose is a betrayal that deserves full prosecution.

Gunther Eagleman

The SPLC indictment is a politically motivated attack on a civil rights organization for using paid informants — the same tactic the FBI routinely employs. Todd Blanche already moved to vacate convictions of Proud Boys and Oath Keepers for seditious conspiracy, making this prosecution look like pure retaliation against groups that opposed violent white nationalists.

The SPLC indictment is a politically motivated attack on a civil rights organization for using paid informants — the same tactic the FBI routinely employs. Todd Blanche already moved to vacate convictions of Proud Boys and Oath Keepers for seditious conspiracy, making this prosecution look like pure retaliation against groups that opposed violent white nationalists.

Hakeem Jeffries

U.S. House Committee On The Judiciary Democrats

SPLC Indicted on Federal Fraud Charges in Alabama

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For decades, the SPLC justified its own existence by illegally funding the very white supremacist and extremist groups it claims to fight. Unbeknownst to SPLC donors, the non-profit used their funds without their consent to bankroll figures affiliated with everything from the 2017 "Unite the Right" rally in Charlottesville to the KKK. This monstrous betrayal warrants full prosecution.

For decades, the SPLC justified its own existence by illegally funding the very white supremacist and extremist groups it claims to fight. Unbeknownst to SPLC donors, the non-profit used their funds without their consent to bankroll figures affiliated with everything from the 2017 "Unite the Right" rally in Charlottesville to the KKK. This monstrous betrayal warrants full prosecution.

The SPLC indictment is a politically motivated attack on a civil rights organization for using paid informants — the same tactic the FBI routinely employs. Having already moved to vacate the convictions of the Proud Boys and Oath Keepers for seditious conspiracy, the Justice Department's prosecution looks like pure retaliation against groups opposed to violent white nationalists.

The SPLC indictment is a politically motivated attack on a civil rights organization for using paid informants — the same tactic the FBI routinely employs. Having already moved to vacate the convictions of the Proud Boys and Oath Keepers for seditious conspiracy, the Justice Department's prosecution looks like pure retaliation against groups opposed to violent white nationalists.

SPLC Indicted on Federal Fraud Charges in Alabama

SPLC Indicted on Federal Fraud Charges in Alabama

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SPLC Indicted on Federal Fraud Charges in Alabama

SPLC Indicted on Federal Fraud Charges in Alabama

The Spin

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