What to know about the Southern Poverty Law Center
AP News
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The Southern Poverty Law Center is in the spotlight after the civil rights group announced Tuesday that it is the subject of a U.S. Justice Department criminal investigation because of its past use of paid informants.
The SPLC was created 55 years ago to support civil rights and expanded to label and track hate groups.
In recent years, the organization has faced criticism from conservatives who say it unfairly maligns viewpoints of some of the groups it tracks.
The FBI cut ties with SPLC in 2025, calling it a “partisan smear machine.”
SPLC Indicted on Fraud Charges
- Southern Poverty Law Center indicted on fraud charges tied to paid informants Washington Examiner —
- DOJ charges Southern Poverty Law Center with fraud for paying white supremacist groups $3M to ‘stoke racial hatred’ NY Post —
- DOJ Charges Southern Poverty Law Center With Bank Fraud Bloomberg —
- DOJ says Southern Poverty Law Center funneled $3M+ to white supremacist and extremist groups Fox News —
- DOJ Says Southern Poverty Law Center Stoked 'Racial Hatred' Newsweek —