On Tuesday (April 21), the Justice Department indicted the civil rights group Southern Poverty Law Center on federal fraud charges, accusing it of secretly funding leaders of hate groups including the Ku Klux Klan. Acting U.S. Attorney General Todd Branch and FBI Director announce charges against civil rights group Kashi Patel at a press conference on Monday.
The indictment puts the SPLC under scrutiny because the organization has advocated against white supremacist hate groups throughout its long and illustrious history of civil rights litigation. According to the indictment, wire fraud, bank fraud and money laundering conspiracy.
The DOJ alleges that the SPLC ran an informant program among various hate groups to gather information about their activities. this U.S. Department of Justice Claims that $3 million was paid to informants through the now-defunct scheme amounted to defrauding donors. It claimed that some of the money flowing into these groups was used to commit crimes.
Todd Branch claimed: “The SPLC is not dismantling these groups. Instead, it is paying resources to incite racial hatred and create the very extremism it claims to oppose.”
Did the SPLC really fund the KKK?
The SPLC denies the fraud allegations and says it will continue to vigorously defend ourselves, our employees and our work. “
exist indictmentthe Justice Department alleges that the SPLC funneled more than $73,000 to former KKK members as part of its informant program. Other fund transfers allegedly included $1 million to the National Alliance affiliate; $300,000 to the Aryan Nations affiliate; $270,000 to the group “Unite The Right”; $140,000 to the former National Alliance president and $19,000 to the American Front president.
The SPLC dismissed the claims, saying they were targeted by the DOJ. “The Department of Justice’s actions will not shake our resolve to fight for justice and ensure that the promises of the civil rights movement become a reality for all,” said SPLC Interim CEO Bryan Fair.
As of now, the details of the Klan members allegedly sponsored by the SPLC have not been released.
Trump’s 2017 Charlottesville Rally
Donald Trump faces massive criticism for allegedly defending 2017 election neo-nazism The rally was organized by United Right, one of the SPLC groups said to have provided funding. The new Justice Department indictment alleges that one of the people planning the rally was a member of the WhatsApp group organizing the rally and that he received funds from the SPLC.
So far, Unite the Right has not responded to the accusations. The individuals the DOJ alleges received funds from the SPLC have not yet been identified.
