Indictment Alleges SPLC Funded Klan Leaders And Hate Groups
(Photo by Michael Brennan/Getty Images)
A federal indictment unsealed Tuesday accuses the Southern Poverty Law Center of secretly directing donor funds to individuals tied to white supremacist and extremist groups, despite presenting itself as an organization dedicated to combating hate.
The charges, brought by a grand jury in Alabama, include 11 counts ranging from wire fraud to making false statements to a federally insured bank, as well as conspiracy to engage in money laundering. Prosecutors say they are also seeking to recover money they claim was obtained through the alleged scheme.
According to the indictment, donors were led to believe their contributions would support efforts to fight racism and extremism across the country. Instead, authorities allege that some of that money ended up in the hands of figures connected to groups such as the Ku Klux Klan, neo-Nazi organizations, and an Aryan-linked motorcycle club.
Court documents claim the organization spent more than $3 million between 2014 and 2023 on individuals it categorized as informants or “field sources.” Prosecutors contend that several of those sources were not just observers, but active participants or leaders within extremist movements.
Among those cited is a participant in an online group tied to organizing the 2017 “Unite the Right” rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, who allegedly received more than $270,000. Another individual associated with a neo-Nazi group is said to have been paid over $1 million during a relationship with the organization that lasted more than two decades.
The indictment also describes a case in which internal documents from an extremist group were allegedly taken and later used in part for reporting published by the organization, with payments arranged despite claims the materials were stolen. In another instance, a separate informant reportedly accepted blame for the theft and was paid $6,000.
SPLC revenue before Charlotesville – $51,871,438
SPLC revenue after Charlotesville – $133,463,398The SPLC paid $270,000 to a Unite the Right Rally leader.
The “hate” grift in a single image. pic.twitter.com/arUggwSkT2
— Andrew Kolvet (@AndrewKolvet) April 22, 2026
Prosecutors further allege that between 2014 and 2020, more than $300,000 went to an informant linked to both the National Socialist Movement and a motorcycle club with ties to Aryan groups. Additional payments cited include $19,000 to a figure identified as a national leader of another extremist organization, as well as tens of thousands of dollars to individuals with past or present ties to Ku Klux Klan factions.
The indictment also claims the group used sources connected to various Klan organizations, including individuals who held leadership roles, and in some cases funneled money indirectly to other extremist figures.
In a statement announcing the case, Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said the organization would be held accountable if the allegations are proven, adding that no group is exempt from federal law.
The organization’s interim president, Bryan Fair, rejected the accusations in a video response, describing them as politically motivated and tied to the Trump administration. He argued that working with informants had been necessary due to safety concerns and said information gathered through those sources was shared with law enforcement. Fair also stated that the organization no longer relies on paid informants and maintained that such efforts had previously helped prevent violence.
As of publication, the organization had not issued a formal response to media inquiries.
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