Former SPLC Official Charged With Fraud Over White Supremacist Payouts

A former top Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) official was charged Wednesday in a federal fraud case claiming the organization secretly funneled millions of dollars in donor money to informants embedded in white supremacist and other extremist groups. 

Heidi Beirich, 59, who formerly led the SPLC’s Intelligence Project tracking extremist groups, was charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, conspiracy to submit false statements to a federally insured bank, and conspiracy to commit concealment of money laundering. Attorney General Todd Blanche mistakenly referred to her as the organization’s former chief financial officer in a press conference.

Beirich surrendered to federal authorities in California on Wednesday, per the Wall Street Journal.

The charges are part of the Justice Department’s broader criminal case against the SPLC, which prosecutors accuse of routing donor money through accounts associated with fictitious companies and bank accounts to conceal payments to informants inside extremist organizations. Prosecutors say that between 2007 and 2023, the SPLC funneled at least $4.1 million in donor funds to sources who led, belonged to, or infiltrated extremist groups.

Blanche said Wednesday that Beirich helped facilitate the financial arrangements at the center of the case.

“As alleged, I believe she was part of the effort to open bank accounts in completely fictitious companies’ names and make payments to individuals for reasons that were not accurate as described,” Blanche said.

The latest indictment also alleges that Beirich personally oversaw payments to one informant, identified as “F-9,” who received more than $1.2 million from the SPLC over the course of the alleged scheme. Beirich was romantically involved with F-9, according to the New York Post, and shared two bank accounts with him.

Approximately $140,000 in SPLC money allegedly flowed through a fictitious company account into the couple’s joint accounts between 2015 and 2021, accounting for roughly 66% of the money deposited into those accounts during that period. Beirich allegedly used some of the money to pay the couple’s personal living expenses.

F-9 allegedly infiltrated the neo-Nazi National Alliance and stole approximately 25 boxes of documents from the organization. Prosecutors claim SPLC funds were subsequently used to copy the stolen documents, which Beirich used as the basis for an SPLC “Hatewatch” report. The indictment goes further, claiming that Beirich later paid another informant approximately $6,000 to falsely claim responsibility for the theft.

The 26-page indictment alleges that the SPLC-funded informants used donor money while participating in extremist organizations, including to attend and host rallies, recruit members, establish chapters, publish racist literature and purchase materials for KKK robes, hoods and cross burnings.

Another SPLC informant, identified as F-37, allegedly received more than $270,000 while participating in the planning of the 2017 “Unite the Right” rally in Charlottesville, Virginia. Prosecutors say the informant attended the rally at the SPLC’s direction and helped coordinate transportation for attendees.

FBI Director Kash Patel added Wednesday that Beirich was “at the center” of the bureau’s investigation into the organization.

“As alleged, Heidi Beirich was at the center of our ongoing investigation into SPLC and their previously alleged criminal activity — where SPLC knowingly misled donors, who believed their money was being used to dismantle violent extremist organizations — when in fact, part of those donations were instead being used to pay senior leadership within those extremist groups,” Patel wrote on X.

Beirich’s attorney, Michael Proctor, denied the allegations and accused the Trump administration of politically targeting his client.

“A free and fair society does not use the justice system to silence its political opponents,” Proctor said in a statement. “Heidi Beirich has dedicated her life to fighting hate groups and extremist movements like the KKK, neo-Nazis, and other white supremacists.”

The SPLC has likewise denied wrongdoing, arguing that its informant program was intended to gather intelligence on extremist organizations and prevent violence.

“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,” the SPLC previously said in a statement to Fox News Digital. “We remain steadfast in our fight for justice and in our commitment to ensuring the promise of the Civil Rights movement becomes a reality for all.”

Beirich left the SPLC in 2019 after roughly two decades with the organization. She later co-founded the Global Project Against Hate and Extremism and continued working as an expert on far-right extremism, including testifying before Congress.