DOJ Expands SPLC Case Over Alleged KKK Payments, June 06

The Justice Department filed a superseding indictment against the Southern Poverty Law Center on June 3, expanding charges that the civil rights group secretly paid Ku Klux Klan members using donor money. The SPLC now faces 11 counts of wire fraud, bank fraud, and money laundering conspiracy. The organization is fighting back by asking a judge to sanction prosecutors for leaking grand jury information to journalists before the case was formally unsealed.

What the New Indictment Alleges

Federal prosecutors claim the SPLC funneled more than $4 million in donor funds to at least eight informants connected to extremist groups between 2014 and 2023. Two Klan members identified as F-31 and F-32 received $1,200 per month plus expenses through a shell company called Rare Books Warehouse to stay active in the Klan, the indictment states. The money allegedly covered cross-burning materials, Klan robes, and costs for extremist rallies and recruitment efforts. The SPLC presented itself publicly as a leading anti-hate organization while making these payments, prosecutors say.

SPLC Accuses DOJ of Grand Jury Violations

On June 4, the SPLC asked a federal judge to consider sanctioning prosecutors after the Justice Department shared an unsigned, unstamped draft of the superseding indictment with journalists before the case was formally filed. The SPLC’s attorneys argued this violated federal grand jury secrecy rules and created a one-sided narrative the organization could not address. They asked the judge to order the DOJ to explain its conduct and determine whether prosecutors should face penalties for the breach.

Republican Scrutiny and Political Fallout

House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan said the allegations show the SPLC encouraged Klan members to stay active in hate groups in exchange for payments. Jordan stated the organization misled donors about how their money was used. A House Judiciary Committee hearing titled “The Southern Poverty Law Center: Manufacturing Hate, Part II” is scheduled for the week of June 8-14, 2026. The SPLC denies all wrongdoing and has moved to dismiss the case, accusing the Justice Department of vindictive prosecution.

Original Charges and Defense Response

The initial April indictment charged the SPLC with using donations to pay informants in extremist groups without disclosing the practice to donors or banks. Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche defended the prosecution as a routine investigation, rejecting claims it is politically motivated. The SPLC has stated it used confidential sources and informants as part of its long-standing efforts to track and infiltrate hate groups dating back to the 1980s.

Final Thoughts

The SPLC faces serious federal charges over how it used donor money, but the case now hinges on whether prosecutors violated grand jury secrecy rules. The June 8-14 House hearing will intensify scrutiny of the organization’s methods and its relationship with federal authorities.

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