WASHINGTON (AP) — The Southern Poverty Law Center was indicted Tuesday on federal fraud charges alleging it improperly raised millions of dollars to pay informants to infiltrate the Ku Klux Klan and other extremist groups, acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said.
The civil rights group faces charges including wire fraud, bank fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering in the case brought by the Justice Department in Alabama, where the organization is based.
The indictment came shortly after SPLC revealed the existence of a criminal investigation into its program to pay informants to infiltrate extremist groups and gather information on their activities. The group said the program was used to monitor threats of violence and the information was often shared with local and federal law enforcement.
SPLC CEO Bryan Fair expressed the organization's intent to defend its staff and efforts vigorously, emphasizing the necessity of the informants in monitoring extremist activities. According to Blanche, the SPLC paid at least $3 million between 2014 and 2023 to affiliates from groups such as the Ku Klux Klan and the Aryan Nations.
Blanche criticized the SPLC, claiming they created rather than dismantled extremist groups by financing sources to incite racial hatred. The indictment raises serious questions about the transparency of the SPLC's fundraising practices with donors. Further complicating the situation is the ongoing scrutiny due to SPLC's perceived partisan alignment, often criticized by conservative groups. This remains a pivotal moment as the SPLC faces significant backlash amidst ongoing political tensions around issues of extremism and civil rights.
