Montgomery, Alabama — The Southern Poverty Law Center pleaded not guilty Tuesday to federal fraud charges tied to donations allegedly used to pay informants inside extremist groups.
The Justice Department alleges the SPLC misled donors by failing to disclose that $4.1 million helped fund informants inside groups that included the Ku Klux Klan and white nationalist organizations. Prosecutors say the money supported monthly stipends and reimbursements, including purchases tied to extremist activity.
The SPLC denies wrongdoing and says the informant program helped gather intelligence that was shared with law enforcement. The organization has accused the Justice Department of pursuing a politically motivated case, calling it a “vindictive prosecution.”
Attorney Abbe Lowell entered the plea remotely during the arraignment in Montgomery. The case follows an earlier April indictment and is scheduled for trial in October.
The Associated Press reported that some informants initially approached the SPLC seeking help leaving extremist groups. Prosecutors argue the organization crossed a legal line by funding extremist activity while telling donors it was working to dismantle those groups. The SPLC says the program was part of its anti-extremism work and helped authorities monitor threats.
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