Southern Poverty Law Center pleads not guilty as CEO vows to fight fraud case

Published May 7, 2026 7:35pm ET



The Southern Poverty Law Center pleaded not guilty Thursday to federal fraud and money laundering charges tied to its use of paid informants within extremist groups, with the organization vowing to aggressively fight the case.

The SPLC was arraigned Thursday afternoon in federal court in Montgomery, Alabama, where federal prosecutors accused the group of improperly using more than $3 million in donor funds to pay informants connected to organizations including the Ku Klux Klan, Aryan Nations affiliates, and individuals who helped organize the 2017 “Unite the Right” rally in Charlottesville, Virginia.

Already a print subscriber? Click here to login/register your account

Trusted reporting.Unlimited access.

Subscribe for full access to Washington Examiner coverage, expert political analysis, and subscriber-only journalism.

Get Unlimited Access

Already a member? Log in

Cancel anytime.