The Southern Poverty Law Center is facing federal charges after the U.S. Department of Justice accused the nonprofit of fraud and money laundering, while several prominent donors have not publicly addressed the allegations.
A federal grand jury in Alabama returned an indictment charging the organization with 11 counts, including wire fraud, false statements to a federally insured bank, and conspiracy to commit concealment money laundering.
The charges were announced earlier this week and are part of what officials described as an ongoing investigation.
According to reporting, some of the group’s well-known donors have not issued statements following the indictment.
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Among them is actor George Clooney, whose Clooney Foundation for Justice had previously supported the organization. Other entities that have not publicly commented include a foundation tied to George Soros and MGM Resorts.
The allegations outlined in the indictment claim that the organization diverted millions of dollars.
The group has been accused of funneling “more than $3 million to the hate groups it claims to fight.”
Federal Bureau of Investigation Director Kash Patel addressed the charges in a social media statement announcing the case.
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“The SPLC allegedly engaged in a massive fraud operation to deceive their donors, enrich themselves, and hide their deceptive operations from the public,” Patel wrote.
He continued, “They lied to their donors, vowing to dismantle violent extremist groups, and actually turned around and paid the leaders of these very extremist groups – even utilizing the funds to have these groups facilitate the commission of state and federal crimes.”
Patel added, “That is illegal – and this is an ongoing investigation against all individuals involved.”
This evening: @DAGToddBlanche and I are announcing an 11 count indictment against the Southen Poverty Law Center.
Charges include wire fraud, false statements to a federally insured bank, and conspiracy to commit concealment money laundering.The SPLC allegedly engaged in a…— FBI Director Kash Patel (@FBIDirectorKash) April 21, 2026
The case follows earlier developments involving the organization.
In late 2025, Patel said the FBI had cut ties with the group, stating it had “long ago abandoned civil rights work and turned into a partisan smear machine” and had been targeting Americans.
The organization has previously drawn attention for placing certain groups on its “hate map,” including Moms for Liberty and other parental rights organizations.
It also listed Turning Point USA, a group founded by Charlie Kirk, and the nonprofit PragerU.
In 2017, the organization publicly acknowledged receiving a $1 million grant from the Clooney Foundation for Justice.
At the time, the funding was described as supporting efforts to address extremist activity.
A statement published then read, “In the wake of the deadly violence at a white nationalist gathering in Charlottesville, Virginia, the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) is partnering with the Clooney Foundation for Justice to increase the capacity of the SPLC to combat hate groups in the United States.”
The statement also included remarks from George and Amal Clooney.
“We are proud to support the Southern Poverty Law Center in its efforts to prevent violent extremism in the United States. What happened in Charlottesville, and what is happening in communities across our country, demands our collective engagement to stand up to hate,” they said.
The indictment cited in recent reporting alleges that funds may have been directed to individuals connected to the same Charlottesville rally referenced in that earlier statement.
Additional donors to the organization have included former Apple CEO Tim Cook, JPMorgan, OpenAI, and Chick-fil-A.
Chick-fil-A addressed its past involvement in a statement, saying, “Our mention in this is based on a one-time $2,500 donation made nearly 10 years ago at the request of a former advisory board member.
This isn’t an organization that Chick-fil-A is involved with or supports in any capacity.”
The investigation into the organization’s financial practices is ongoing.
Authorities have not announced any convictions, and no timeline has been provided for further proceedings as federal officials continue to examine the allegations.
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