Southern Poverty Law Center pleads not guilty to federal fraud charges

12 articles · Updated · The Guardian · May 7

At a Thursday hearing, the Alabama-based civil rights group denied an 11-count indictment in Montgomery alleging fraud and conspiracy to launder money tied to a now-ended informant programme.
Prosecutors say SPLC funneled more than $3m to confidential sources inside extremist groups from 2014 to 2023, while misleading donors and banks about how the funds were used.
SPLC says the programme helped prevent attacks and save lives, while legal experts have called the case unusually weak amid broader Trump administration pressure on nonprofit groups.

When does a nonprofit's mission to fight extremism cross the line into illegally funding it?

Could this case redefine how all charities use donations, placing their operational decisions under new legal scrutiny?