Why was the Southern Poverty Law Center indicted on federal fraud charges?
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The Southern Poverty Law Center faces federal fraud charges for allegedly concealing payments to informants.
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The Southern Poverty Law Center was indicted on federal fraud charges Tuesday, with acting attorney general Todd Blanche alleging the organization improperly paid informants to infiltrate extremist groups without disclosing these payments to donors. The charges claim the center concealed these financial arrangements while accepting donations. CEO Bryan Fair defended the payments, stating they were made to confidential informants to monitor threats of violence from extremist groups. Fair added that information gathered by these informants was frequently shared with the FBI and other law enforcement agencies, asserting it helped save lives.
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Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche filed federal fraud charges against the Southern Poverty Law Center.
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Justice Department charges Southern Poverty Law Center with fraud over extremism investigations
WATCH: Justice Department charges SPLC with fraud over paid informant program
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DOJ charges Southern Poverty Law Center with fraud amid denials from civil rights group
The Justice Department on Tuesday announced an 11-count indictment against the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) including bank and wire fraud, charging the group in connection with a now-defunct program that used paid informants to monitor extremist groups. The charges include six counts of wire fraud, four counts of bank fraud and one count of conspiracy…
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