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DOJ says Southern Poverty Law Center funneled $3M+ to white supremacist and extremist groups like the KKK
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FBI Director Kash Patel and Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche announced a sweeping indictment Tuesday against the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC), accusing the far-left nonprofit of fraudulently paying members of extremist groups like the Ku Klux Klan.
A grand jury in the Middle District of Alabama returned an 11-count indictment charging the SPLC with six counts of wire fraud, four counts of bank fraud, and one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering, according to the Justice Department (DOJ). Between 2014 and 2023, according to the DOJ, the SPLC «secretly funneled» more than $3 million in donations to at least eight individuals associated with violent extremist groups, including the Ku Klux Klan, United Klans of America, the Nationalist Socialist Movement, Unite the Right, Aryan Nations affiliated Sadistic Souls Motorcycle Club, and more.
According to Blanche, the SPLC paid members of these extremist groups so it could create a «work product that reported on these activities.»
LEFT-WING GROUP CHASES PROOF OF KASH PATEL’S ALLEGED ‘EXCESSIVE DRINKING’ AS DEMS EYE FBI DIRECTOR’S OUSTER
«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 Tuesday during the press conference announcing the indictment.
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche was pointed in his remarks at his first news conference Tuesday at the Department of Justice about the Trump administration’s anti-fraud efforts. (Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call)
The SPLC is a longstanding left-wing nonprofit that claims to fight white supremacy and racial hatred by reporting on extremist groups and conducting research to inform law enforcement about them with the goal of dismantling the groups. SPLC’s CEO, Bryan Fair, addressed the probe in a video message posted online, arguing the Trump administration has «made no secret who they want to protect and who they want to destroy.»
«We are reviewing the charges,» a subsequent statement from Fair sent to Fox News Digital added. «However, after today’s Department of Justice press conference, we are outraged by the false allegations levied against SPLC – an organization that for 55 years has stood as a beacon of hope fighting white supremacy and various forms of injustice to create a multi-racial democracy where we can all live and thrive. Taking on violent hate and extremist groups is among the most dangerous work there is, and we believe it is also among the most important work we do. To be clear, this program saved lives.»
«The actions by the DOJ will not shake our resolve to fight for justice and ensure the promise of the Civil Rights movement becomes a reality for all,» Fair continued in his comment to Fox News Digital. «SPLC will vigorously defend ourselves, our staff and our work; we will continue to fight hate; and we will continue to envision and create a safer and more just world.»
DEMS’ ‘DELAY TACTIC’ TO ‘MALIGN’ PATEL AND STALL FBI CONFIRMATION DISMISSED AS ‘BASELESS’ BY TOP SENATE LEADER
The Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) building seen in March 2020 in Montgomery, Alabama. (Barry Lewis/InPictures via Getty Images)
But Patel and Blanche on Tuesday accused the SPLC of conducting «widespread, decade-long, multimillion dollar fraud» funneling money to the very groups it claims to combat.
The complete list of these groups, according to a Justice Department press release, includes the Ku Klux Klan, United Klans of America, Unite the Right, National Alliance, the National Socialist Movement, Aryan Nations affiliated Sadistic Souls Motorcycle Club, National Socialist Party of America (American Nazi Party), and the American Front.
Blanche and Patel also argued Tuesday that the SPLC tried to hide its payments to groups the SPLC told its donors it was trying to combat, leading to several of the charges in the indictment.
«They set up shell companies and entities around America so that the financial institutions that we rely on as everyday Americans were deceived in believing that money was not coming from the Southern Poverty Law Center in the perpetration of this scheme and fraud, but rather fictitious entities,» Patel argued during the press conference. «They stood up to perpetuate this ongoing fraud. This is a serious and egregious violation of a group that purported to dismantle violent extremist groups, but in turn actually only fueled that hatred.»
For example, the SPLC was paying roughly $270,000 to a member of the leadership group that planned the Unite the Right protests in Charlottesville, Virginia, in 2017, that resulted in the death of one person and injured dozens more.
Neo Nazis, Alt-Right, and White Supremacists gather the night before the ‘Unite the Right’ rally in Charlottesville, VA. (Zach D Roberts/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
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Another individual, embedded in a neo-Nazi organization, was reportedly paid $1 million to steal more than two dozen boxes of the hate group’s documents.
«This is an important case brought by President Trump’s administration, and we’re thankful to the president for his leadership and funding of not just the FBI and DOJ, but his commitment to go out there and wipe out fraud, and conspiracy, and waste and abuse wherever it occurs, including the Southern Poverty Law Center,» Patel said Tuesday.
fbi, kash patel, politics, justice department, national security, homeland security
INTERNACIONAL
La presidenta de Costa Rica reclama intervención del Congreso ante escalada delictiva en Crucitas
La presidenta Laura Fernández lanzó un llamado urgente a la Asamblea Legislativa para abordar de manera definitiva la problemática en Crucitas, una región que actualmente exige un gasto de USD 1 millón al mes solo en operaciones de seguridad.
La mandataria advirtió que la situación en Crucitas representa un riesgo que trasciende lo ambiental, pues bandas de crimen organizado ya se han asentado en la zona, profundizando un ciclo de delitos y pérdida de recursos nacionales.
Según Fernández, la continuidad de este modelo implica que el país sacrifica fondos esenciales que podrían emplearse en otras áreas de la seguridad pública.
La presidenta subrayó: “Nos consume un millón de dólares al mes la atención de seguridad que estamos dando en Crucitas, eso es mucha plata que debería de estarse distribuyendo en otras de las tantas necesidades de la seguridad nacional”.
Con esto, insistió en la urgencia de que los diputados den trámite a la propuesta de legalizar la minería de oro en la región, una iniciativa que permanece en la Asamblea Legislativa desde hace aproximadamente dos años y medio.
Fernández extendió una invitación directa a los legisladores para visitar Crucitas el próximo 19 de junio, enfatizando que el recorrido será a pie y no en helicóptero.
La intención es que los diputados experimenten de primera mano las condiciones que soportan los cuerpos policiales y comprendan la gravedad de posponer una solución efectiva.
“Qué fácil es desde la comodidad del aire acondicionado y desde la comodidad de una oficina burocrática… decir, ay, me opongo a esa solución, mientras nuestros policías pasan en un ambiente inhóspito, solo ahí, casi que con la ayuda de Dios”, reclamó la presidenta.
Actualmente, la controversia gira en torno a la legalización de la minería de oro como estrategia para frenar el deterioro ambiental, el robo de recursos y el fortalecimiento de la criminalidad en Crucitas.
Fernández argumenta que la falta de acción perpetúa un “combo de todo lo malo” para el país: daños ecológicos, saqueo de bienes nacionales y el avance del crimen organizado.
La propuesta del Ejecutivo busca que la legalización permita un control estatal sobre la explotación minera, con la promesa de reducir los riesgos sociales y ambientales, así como el elevado gasto en seguridad.
El llamado de Laura Fernández es claro: sin una intervención legislativa, la crisis en Crucitas seguirá agravándose, drenando recursos y comprometiendo la estabilidad y bienestar nacional.
La minería ilegal en Crucitas volvió a exponer en 2026 una crisis que mezcla daño ambiental, redes criminales y tensión entre Costa Rica y Nicaragua, después de que la Fuerza Pública costarricense detuviera a 19 nicaragüenses en la zona, según Infobae, en un conflicto agravado desde que se anuló la concesión legal para explotar oro y el territorio quedó abierto a la extracción clandestina.
Esa actividad ilegal provoca pérdidas anuales de unos USD 252 millones para Costa Rica, según Divergentes. El medio señaló que el oro extraído en la frontera alimenta un circuito de tráfico hacia Nicaragua, con participación de estructuras organizadas que facilitan su traslado y procesamiento.
La dimensión transfronteriza también llevó al gobierno costarricense a presentar reclamos diplomáticos a Nicaragua para pedir mayor vigilancia en la frontera y en el río San Juan, según Bloomberg Línea. La respuesta nicaragüense, de acuerdo con ese medio, ha sido limitada y la extracción clandestina continúa.
El origen del conflicto actual se remonta a 1999, cuando la empresa canadiense Industrias Infinito S.A. solicitó una concesión para explotar oro a cielo abierto en Las Crucitas, en el cantón de San Carlos, según el Observatorio de Conflictos Mineros de América Latina.
En 2008, el gobierno de Costa Rica declaró el proyecto de interés público y habilitó su avance, pese a la oposición de grupos ambientalistas y comunidades locales, de acuerdo con ese registro.
La concesión fue anulada en 2010 por la Sala I de la Corte Suprema de Justicia, que citó irregularidades en el proceso y posibles daños ambientales al ecosistema del río San Juan, según el Observatorio de Conflictos Mineros de América Latina.
Esa decisión frenó la explotación legal, pero dejó la zona vulnerable a nuevas incursiones irregulares.
Lo que ocurre hoy en Crucitas es una extracción clandestina de oro realizada por grupos de mineros artesanales conocidos como coligalleros en Costa Rica y güiriseros en Nicaragua, según La Prensa Nicaragua.
El medio informó que esos grupos emplean métodos que incluyen sustancias tóxicas como cianuro y mercurio.
Nicaragua
INTERNACIONAL
Biden’s posh vacation enclave roiled as church axes July 4 tradition over ‘whiteness’ debate: ‘Spewing lies’
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A Nantucket church on the exclusive Massachusetts island long favored by former President Joe Biden canceled its annual Fourth of July reading of America’s founding documents, citing an effort to understand «our own whiteness» and drawing sharp criticism from conservatives.
«Our cancelling the 4th of July celebration this year reflects … an on-going process within the congregation to better understand our own whiteness,» wrote Nantucket Unitarian Universalists (NUU) and the Rev. Erin Splaine of the Second Congregational Meeting House Society in a letter published by the Nantucket Current on Thursday.
The historic Nantucket Unitarian Meeting House has hosted a public reading of the Declaration of Independence and the Bill of Rights in downtown Nantucket each Fourth of July holiday for the past 25 years.
The decision comes as communities across the country prepare for events tied to America’s upcoming semiquincentennial celebrations, sparking criticism from social media users amid a broader debate over how the nation’s founding documents should be commemorated.
THE UNWINNABLE WAR AMERICA’S FOUNDING FATHERS FOUGHT AND WON CHANGED HUMAN HISTORY FOREVER
President Joe Biden carries a milkshake while visiting Nantucket for the Thanksgiving holiday in 2023. (BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP via Getty Images)
Church leaders said the decision reflects ongoing conversations within the congregation about race, privilege and the historical application of constitutional rights.
«For those of us who are white the experience of the Rights and Privileges conferred by the Declaration of Independence, The Bill of Rights, and the Constitution of the United States have, for centuries, been tragically, often violently, and unequally applied to fellow citizens who are not white,» the letter explained.
In previous years, local leaders and the island’s chamber of commerce had promoted the event on social media platforms for all to attend to celebrate the holiday.
The letter stated that Splaine would not «engage» with anyone concerned with the cancelation on social media, saying those concerned could make an «appointment» to speak with her.
«Social media is not the place for important, tender conversations,» the letter stated.
Nantucket, a famed summer retreat off the Massachusetts coast, attracts celebrities, millionaires — and billionaires. Biden and his family head up to the island almost every year to celebrate Thanksgiving with family for decades.
Critics were quick to flood social media with reactions, pointing to the island’s exclusivity and arguing that some on the left appear increasingly uncomfortable celebrating America’s founding ahead of the nation’s 250th birthday.
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A Nantucket church scraps its annual Fourth of July reading of the Declaration of Independence, sparking backlash ahead of America’s 250th birthday. (iStock)
«If you know anything about Nantucket, you know that’s where the rich, privileged people live. Just another self important dem who thinks she’s important,» posted an X user. «OK Nantucket, break out those fireworks. Don’t let this idiot spoil your fun.»
«Nothing says ‘inclusive’ like canceling a national holiday,» wrote one user on X.
«Someone needs to tell this nitwit that over 600,000 white men died in the battle to end slavery in this country by the way, the only country that decisively fought to end slavery,» said an X user. «I’m so tired of these people spewing lies because they refused to learn the truth. Pick up an old history book. It’s there.»
«She’s throwing a tantrum, and her congregation gets to take it and not ask any questions,» posted another person.
DEATH OF AMERICAN HISTORY? PROFESSORS WARN STUDENTS, EVEN TEACHERS SHOW ‘SHOCKING IGNORANCE’ OF FOUNDING DOCS
«If you know anything about Nantucket, you know that’s where the rich, privileged people live. Just another self important dem who thinks she’s important,» posted an X user. (Ashley J. DiMella/Fox News Digital)
RARE, HISTORIC US DOCUMENTS TRAVELING COUNTRY ON ‘FREEDOM PLANE’ AHEAD OF AMERICA’S 250TH ANNIVERSARY
To salvage the annual event, another church on the island, St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, announced it would read the Declaration of Independence and the Bill of Rights, the Nantucket Current reported.
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«We may not be there yet but we felt it was important to gather together and try to live up to the promises our country has made,» said St. Paul’s Rev. Max Wolf. «Those documents are aspirational.»
Fox News Digital reached out to the Nantucket Unitarian Meeting House for comment, as well as Biden’s office.
patriotism, bill of rights, constitution, america 250, massachusetts
INTERNACIONAL
Anti-cartel candidate ‘The Tiger’ channels Trump and Bukele in Colombia election shocker
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Colombia’s first-round presidential election, won by tough-talking conservative Abelardo de la Espriella, signaled what analysts describe as a growing backlash across Latin America against leftist governments.
The presidential election could carry significant implications for U.S. interests in the region, including drug trafficking, migration and regional stability, as voters increasingly prioritize security, counternarcotics policies and economic stability ahead of a June 21 runoff between de la Espriella and leftist candidate Ivan Cepeda.
«For the Trump administration, a Colombia that recommits itself to security cooperation, counternarcotics efforts, and stronger democratic institutions would be a major win and an important step forward towards restoring stability across the Western Hemisphere,» Melissa Ford Maldonado of the America First Policy Institute (AFPI) told Fox News Digital from Colombia.
ANTI-CARTEL HARDLINER CHANNELS TRUMP IN BID TO END COLOMBIA’S LEFTIST ERA IN PIVOTAL ELECTION
Colombian presidential candidate Abelardo De La Espriella of the political movement Defenders of the Homeland reacts after the results of the first round of the presidential election, in Barranquilla, Colombia May 31, 2026. (Sergio Acero/reuters )
«What happens in Colombia affects the flow of drugs into American communities, the strength of transnational criminal networks, migration pressures and the broader balance between democratic governments and criminalized regimes throughout the region,» she added.
The first-round winner, de la Espriella, a conservative lawyer and political outsider known as «El Tigre» («The Tiger»), has emerged as the face of Colombia’s security-focused shift.
An admirer of President Donald Trump and El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele, won 43.7% of the vote Sunday, outperforming most polls and advancing to a runoff against left-wing Cepeda, the candidate backed by President Gustavo Petro.
His campaign has centered on a hardline crackdown on criminal organizations, which he argues have flourished under Petro’s «Total Peace» policy.
Supporters of Colombian presidential candidate Abelardo De La Espriella of the political movement Defenders of the Homeland react to the results of the first round of the presidential election, in Barranquilla, Colombia May 31, 2026. (Charlie Cordero/Reuters)
In an interview with the Associated Press, de la Espriella pledged to open mega-prisons and take a far more aggressive approach toward criminal groups. «Criminals will either surrender or leave the country,» he said.
The vote comes as Colombia faces rising violence, expanding criminal organizations and growing criticism of President Gustavo Petro’s «Total Peace» strategy, which sought negotiations with armed groups and criminal networks.
AT LEAST 80 PEOPLE KILLED IN NORTHEAST COLOMBIA AS PEACE TALKS FAIL, OFFICIAL SAYS
Colombia’s President Gustavo Petro attends the COP16 Summit in Cali, Valle del Cauca, on Oct. 29, 2024. (Luis Acosta/AFP)
«Colombia heads into a June 21 runoff with armed groups controlling vast stretches of the country, a failed ‘Total Peace’ negotiating strategy leaving communities more exposed than when it began, and a Venezuelan refugee crisis that has overwhelmed the state’s already thin capacity to govern its own territory,» Daniel Swift, senior research analyst at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies told Fox News Digital.
Maldonado said Colombia’s election reflects a wider political shift taking place across Latin America.
«This election is part of a broader trend across Latin America, where voters are increasingly rejecting the failed promises of the left in favor of security, sovereignty and economic opportunity,» she said.
ECUADOR’S PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION GOES TO RUNOFF BETWEEN CONSERVATIVE INCUMBENT, LEFTIST LAWYER
Colombia’s presidential candidate Ivan Cepeda of the Pacto Historico party speaks to supporters during his final campaign rally in Barranquilla, Atlántico department, on May 24, 2026. (Vanessa Romero/AFP)
«We’ve seen it in Argentina, Ecuador, Bolivia, Chile, Honduras, Costa Rica and now increasingly in Colombia.»
Swift agreed the election results reflect a broader regional trend.
He said with de la Espriella outperforming «every poll, with security at the top of every voter’s mind — confirms that Colombia is part of a broader regional reckoning: Latin Americans are losing patience with governments that cannot provide security,» Swift said.
Maldonado said the results reflected mounting frustration with the country’s direction under Petro.
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A supporter of Colombia’s presidential candidate for the Defensores de la Patria party, Abelardo de la Espriella, takes a selfie as she awaits his arrival to his last campaign rally in Barranquilla, Colombia, on May 23, 2026. (Vanessa Romero/AFP via Getty Images)
«Years of growing insecurity, rising coca cultivation, expanding criminal organizations, and concessions to armed groups have left many Colombian people frustrated with the direction of the country,» she added.
The June 21 runoff is expected to focus heavily on security policy, organized crime and Colombia’s future relationship with the United States under the Trump administration. Maldonado argues it «offers Colombia an opportunity to begin reversing course and reestablish a principle that should have never been up for debate: criminal organizations should be confronted, not negotiated with.»
colombia, elections, latino, national security
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