The Department of Justice dropped a bombshell Tuesday, announcing that a federal grand jury in Montgomery, Alabama has returned an 11-count indictment against the Southern Poverty Law Center — the left-wing nonprofit that has for decades wielded its “hate group” designations as a weapon against conservative, Christian, and pro-family organizations.
The indictment charges the SPLC with six counts of wire fraud, four counts of making false statements to a federally insured bank, and one count of conspiracy to commit concealment money laundering. According to the DOJ, between 2014 and 2023 the SPLC secretly funneled more than $3 million in donor funds to leaders and organizers of violent extremist groups — including the Ku Klux Klan, Aryan Nations, and the National Socialist Party of America — through a covert paid informant program. Critically, the indictment alleges donors had no knowledge their contributions were being used this way.
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche announced the charges at a press conference alongside FBI Director Kash Patel. “The SPLC is manufacturing racism to justify its existence,” Blanche stated. “Using donor money to allegedly profit off Klansmen cannot go unchecked.” The DOJ’s legal theory centers on the allegation that the SPLC’s informants were not merely gathering intelligence on extremist groups — they were actively promoting and sustaining those groups at the same time the SPLC was publicly denouncing them on its website and using them to solicit millions in donations.
The FBI and the IRS Criminal Investigation division jointly investigated the case. The DOJ also filed two separate forfeiture actions to recover alleged proceeds of the fraud scheme. Blanche indicated the investigation remains ongoing, leaving open the possibility of additional charges or individual prosecutions.
*This is an ongoing story. Updates will be provided as more information becomes availible.*