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3 clusters · 14 sources · 11 days · First seen · Last updated

SPLC federal criminal case and funding restrictions

Overview

The Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) is facing a federal criminal indictment in Alabama involving allegations of wire fraud, conspiracy to commit concealment money laundering, and making false statements to a bank. A superseding indictment accuses former SPLC chief financial officer Heidi Beirich of using shell companies to funnel approximately $4.1 million in donor funds to informants associated with extremist organizations, including the Ku Klux Klan.

U.S. District Judge Emily Marks recently denied the SPLC’s motion to dismiss the case, rejecting the organization’s claim that it was a “vindictive prosecution” motivated by political retaliation. The judge ruled that the SPLC failed to provide sufficient objective evidence of prosecutorial animus, noting that “federal courts are not the proper forum for airing political grievances.” The court also denied the SPLC’s request for discovery into the Department of Justice’s prosecutorial motives.

While the SPLC has pleaded not guilty—maintaining its informant program was intended to monitor extremist groups—the legal battle has triggered significant financial repercussions. Major Wall Street-affiliated donor-advised fund (DAF) sponsors, including Vanguard Charitable, Fidelity Charitable, and Charles Schwab’s DAFgiving360, have implemented policies preventing donors from using their platforms to grant money to the SPLC. The SPLC continues to maintain that prosecutors misled the grand jury and that the charges against Beirich are politically motivated.

Entities

Southern Poverty Law Center · Department of Justice · Fidelity Charitable · Todd Blanche · Charles Schwab

Timeline

  1. 5 days ago

    [BUSINESS] 3 sources
    Southern Poverty Law Center faces funding restrictions following DOJ indictment

    Major donor-advised fund sponsors, including Vanguard and Fidelity, have restricted grants to the Southern Poverty Law Center following a U.S. Department of Justice indictment on fraud charges.

  2. 12 days ago

    [CRIME] 6 sources
    Southern Poverty Law Center faces DOJ criminal case after judge rejects dismissal bid

    A federal judge denied the Southern Poverty Law Center’s request to dismiss a DOJ indictment alleging the group used donor funds to secretly pay extremist informants.

  3. 16 days ago

    [POLITICS] 6 sources
    Alabama judge denies SPLC motion to dismiss criminal indictment

    A federal judge in Alabama denied the Southern Poverty Law Center's request to dismiss a criminal indictment, rejecting claims of vindictive prosecution in a case involving alleged donor fraud.

Sources

alternet.org · brasilemfolhas.com.br · latimes.com · legalinsurrection.com · newenglishreview.com · newsbusters.org · ntd.com · omahadailyrecord.com · reason.com · thethinkingconservative.com · transport2020.com · twitchy.com · wnd.com · yellowhammernews.com

This summary has been updated 1 time: see revision history