The Department of Justice last month announced an indictment against the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC), alleging that the civil rights nonprofit defrauded donors by secretly paying informants associated with extremist organizations, including the Ku Klux Klan.

A federal grand jury in the Middle District of Alabama returned an 11-count indictment in April charging the SPLC with six counts of wire fraud, four counts of making false statements to a federally insured bank and one count of conspiracy to commit concealment money laundering, according to the Justice Department.

The superseding indictment retains those charges while expanding on the alleged misconduct.

According to the DOJ, the SPLC «secretly funneled» more than $3 million in donor funds between 2014 and 2023 to numerous individuals associated with extremist organizations, including the Ku Klux Klan, United Klans of America, the National Socialist Movement, participants in the Unite the Right rally and the Aryan Nations-affiliated Sadistic Souls Motorcycle Club.

NEO-NAZIS, ‘SADISTIC’ BIKERS AND CHARLOTTESVILLE ORGANIZER: 5 OF THE MOST SHOCKING SPLC INFORMANTS

The original indictment alleged approximately $3 million in payments between 2014 and 2023.

«The SPLC’s paid informants (‘field sources’) engaged in the active promotion of racist groups at the same time that the SPLC was denouncing the same groups on its website,» the indictment states.

Prosecutors further allege the SPLC opened bank accounts tied to fictitious entities in order to conceal donor funds that were allegedly routed to confidential sources.

MIKE DAVIS: SOUTHERN POVERTY LAW CENTER: A TALE OF A RACISM SCAM

The Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) building seen in March 2020 in Montgomery, Alabama. (Barry Lewis/InPictures via Getty Images)

According to the indictment, the SPLC began operating a covert informant network in the 1980s, and between 2014 and 2023 allegedly paid those sources in a clandestine manner.

The DOJ alleges an SPLC employee instead encouraged the pair to remain involved and offered them a monthly salary of $1,200.

The two subsequently agreed to remain in the organization, according to the indictment.

DR. BEN CARSON: I KNOW HOW BAD THE SPLC WAS, IT CAME AFTER ME AND PUT ME AT RISK

Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche spoke during a press conference alongside FBI Director Kash Patel at the Department of Justice on April 21, 2026, in Washington, D.C., following the indictment of the Southern Poverty Law Center. (Nathan Posner/Anadolu via Getty Images)

Prosecutors allege an SPLC employee instructed the individuals to claim they worked for a company called Rare Books and helped college students with research and writing assignments if anyone questioned the source of their income.

The indictment alleges donor funds were used to pay both individuals through SPLC accounts.

According to prosecutors, the pair were also reimbursed for expenses related to Ku Klux Klan activities, including cross-burning events and associated costs such as wood and fuel.

One of the individuals is also accused of recruiting new members using donor-funded payments. The indictment further alleges the SPLC knew donor funds were used to purchase materials for Ku Klux Klan garments.

In a statement to Fox News Digital, attorney Abbe Lowell, who represents the SPLC, denied the allegations.

A composite image shows Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche overlaid on photographs of the Department of Justice and FBI headquarters in Washington, D.C. (Valerie Plesch/Bloomberg via Getty Images; Graeme Sloan/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

«This apparent superseding indictment attempts to shore up the flaws in the initial charges, but it changes nothing,» Lowell said.

«The SPLC did not lie to its donors, it did not mislead banks it did business with, and its informant program prevented violence and saved lives,» he continued. 

«It appears the Justice Department shared the indictment with media before it was unsealed by the court – another example of the government’s troubling handling of this case.»

«We will be addressing these irregularities with the court and look forward to presenting the truth at trial,» he added.

NONPROFIT REVENUE TOTALS SURGE AMID GROWING SCRUTINY AFTER MAJOR FRAUD CASES

SPLC interim President and CEO Bryan Fair speaks during a wreath-laying ceremony at the Southern Poverty Law Center Civil Rights Memorial in Montgomery, Ala., on March 5, 2026. (Jake Crandall/Advertiser / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)

The superseding indictment also notes that the SPLC’s reported revenue increased from roughly $38.7 million in 2010 to more than $129 million in 2023, an increase of approximately 233%.

According to the filing, the organization’s net assets grew from approximately $238 million to nearly $787 million during the same period.

The SPLC is a longtime nonprofit organization that says it combats white supremacy and extremism through research, reporting and monitoring efforts intended to assist law enforcement and the public.

During a news conference announcing the original indictment, Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche alleged the SPLC paid members of extremist groups so it could generate «work product» documenting their activities.

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«To that end, [SPLC] was doing the exact opposite of what it told its donors it was doing – not dismantling extremism but funding it,» Blanche said.

Fox News Digital’s Alexandra Koch, David Spunt, Jake Gibson and Alec Schemmel contributed to this report.

El Congreso de la República de Guatemala aprobó, este martes, con 147 votos a favor, la Ley Integral contra el Lavado de Dinero, Otros Activos y Financiamiento del Terrorismo, identificada como Decreto 15-2026. Esta legislación representa un paso relevante para el país, ya que actualiza el marco legal guatemalteco en prevención y combate de estos delitos, alineándose con estándares internacionales.

La votación se llevó a cabo tras semanas de negociaciones y discusiones, donde distintos bloques legislativos analizaron y consensuaron enmiendas al texto final. De acuerdo con la información difundida por el propio Congreso, la iniciativa busca dotar a Guatemala de herramientas legales modernas para enfrentar el lavado de activos y el financiamiento del terrorismo, dos amenazas que han presionado la integridad del sistema financiero nacional.

Entre los puntos destacados del nuevo decreto se encuentran:

• Actualización del marco legal de prevención y combate al lavado de activos y financiamiento al terrorismo
• Armonización con estándares internacionales (GAFI / GAFILAT)
• Fortalecimiento de la capacidad institucional para prevenir la entrada de capitales ilícitos
• Protección de la reputación financiera de Guatemala

Durante la discusión parlamentaria, los diputados destacaron la necesidad de contar con una legislación actualizada que permita fortalecer la vigilancia y el control sobre las operaciones financieras sospechosas, así como mejorar los mecanismos de cooperación internacional.

La aprobación de la ley se produjo con el respaldo de la mayoría de los diputados presentes, reflejando una voluntad política orientada a blindar la economía nacional frente a delitos complejos y transnacionales.

La Superintendencia de Bancos (SIB) celebró la aprobación del Decreto 15-2026, considerándolo un hito. Según un comunicado oficial emitido tras la votación, la SIB reconoció el esfuerzo de los distintos actores institucionales que participaron en la elaboración, análisis y aprobación de la ley.

La nota resalta que por primera vez se integran en un solo cuerpo legal las disposiciones para combatir tanto el lavado de dinero como el financiamiento del terrorismo, sustituyendo un marco legal que llevaba más de 25 años en vigencia.

De acuerdo con la SIB, la efectividad de este nuevo marco dependerá de su implementación adecuada, la articulación entre las autoridades competentes y la participación de todos los actores del sistema financiero. La entidad reiteró su compromiso de contribuir a la aplicación efectiva de la ley y de mantener la integridad del sistema financiero guatemalteco en línea con los compromisos internacionales.

El Decreto 15-2026 incorpora principios y prácticas recomendadas por organismos internacionales como el Grupo de Acción Financiera Internacional (GAFI) y el Grupo de Acción Financiera de Latinoamérica (GAFILAT). Este marco armonizado busca elevar la capacidad institucional de Guatemala para prevenir la entrada de capitales ilícitos, así como proteger la reputación financiera del país en el entorno global.

La SIB enfatizó que la aprobación de esta ley reafirma el compromiso del Estado de Guatemala con la transparencia y la resiliencia del sistema financiero, además de responder a la evolución de los delitos financieros y las crecientes exigencias regulatorias de la comunidad internacional. La entidad también subrayó que la lucha contra el lavado de dinero y el financiamiento del terrorismo es un esfuerzo de país, que requiere la participación coordinada de autoridades, sector privado y ciudadanía.

Se incorpora la declaración emitida por el presidente de Guatemala, Bernardo Arévalo, quien celebró la aprobación de la nueva normativa a través de sus redes sociales. El mandatario expresó: “Hoy gana Guatemala. Pierden quienes pretenden enriquecerse con el narcotráfico, la corrupción y el crimen organizado. Porque proteger al pueblo también significa golpear al crimen donde más le duele: sus finanzas. Tenemos Ley Antilavado”.

La publicación del presidente resalta el alcance de la Ley Integral contra el Lavado de Dinero, Otros Activos y Financiamiento del Terrorismo, y enfatiza el objetivo de la nueva legislación: debilitar las estructuras financieras de organizaciones delictivas y proteger a la ciudadanía.

Este mensaje refuerza el posicionamiento oficial del Gobierno respecto a la importancia de endurecer la lucha contra los delitos financieros y el crimen organizado, sumando respaldo político a la implementación del Decreto 15-2026.

Rep. Tom Kean Jr., R-N.J., said Tuesday he is «more energized than ever» and plans to return to in-person work «within a matter of weeks,» issuing a new statement after months away from Capitol Hill because of an undisclosed medical issue.

Kean, who represents New Jersey’s 7th Congressional District, has been absent from Congress for months while dealing with undisclosed health issues keeping him away from Washington and the campaign trail. Kean said in April that he was addressing a «personal medical issue,» but he has not publicly disclosed the nature of the issue.

«Serving the people of this district is the honor of my life. Every day, I wake up determined to build on the results I have delivered for New Jersey families such as lowering costs, restoring the SALT deduction, funding our law enforcement, helping veterans, standing with Israel, strengthening our economy, and making government work better,» Kean said in a statement Tuesday, amid growing scrutiny over his absence.

REP. TOM KEAN JR. SAYS HE EXPECTS TO RETURN TO CONGRESS ‘IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF WEEKS’ AFTER MISSING 100 VOTES

Kean has not cast a vote since March 5, according to The New York Times. House voting records also listed Kean as «Not Voting» on a May 21 roll call vote.

«I am optimistic about the road ahead, and ready to earn the support of voters in every corner of the district,» Kean continued. «I am more energized then ever to keep fighting for the people of New Jersey’s 7th District. Right now I am focused on my recovery and under the advice of healthcare professionals I will transition from virtual work to in person work within a matter of weeks. At that time I will be completely transparent as to the nature of my medical condition.»

Kean added that he «understand[s] the need for transparency on this matter» and looks forward to sharing his experience with the public.

DEMOCRAT TINA SHAH CALLS TRANSGENDER HEALTHCARE FOR CHILDREN A ‘NO-BRAINER’ IN COMPETITIVE NJ HOUSE RACE

Ahead of Kean’s Tuesday primary election, during which he ran unopposed, President Donald Trump endorsed the New Jersey Republican.

Republican presidential candidate former U.S. President Donald Trump arrives for his campaign rally in Wildwood Beach on May 11, 2024 in Wildwood, New Jersey. The former President and presumptive Republican nominee held a campaign rally as his hush money trial takes a weekend break. Michael Cohen, Trump’s former attorney, is expected to be called to testify on Monday when the trial resumes.  (Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images)

Trump praised Kean in a Truth Social post Monday night, describing him as a strong supporter of the president’s «America First Agenda,» adding the New Jersey Republican is «working tirelessly» on border security, crime, the economy, taxes, energy, veterans and Second Amendment issues.

«Tom Kean has my Complete and Total Endorsement for Re-Election,» Trump concluded, telling people to get out and vote.

Trump’s support remains one of the most powerful forces in Republican primaries, with candidates across several states openly competing for his backing ahead of key contests. His endorsement of Kean signals the White House and GOP leaders are still lining up behind the incumbent as Republicans fight to defend their narrow House majority this fall.

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Four Democrats — Rebecca Bennett, Michael Roth, Tina Shah and Brian Varela — were competing for the nomination to face Kean in November, but Bennett edged them out Tuesday night during the Democratic primary.

The Associated Press described Bennett as a former Navy helicopter pilot, Roth as a former Small Business Administration official, Shah as an intensive care doctor and Varela as a businessman, with each candidate raising seven figures as Democrats target Kean’s battleground seat.