By Gloria Ogbonna
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt on Wednesday delivered a forceful response to a newly unsealed federal indictment against the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC), describing the group as a “criminal organization” and arguing that the allegations brought by the Department of Justice (DOJ) deserve widespread national attention.
Leavitt’s remarks came after a question from Breitbart News regarding the White House’s reaction to the indictment and the Justice Department’s claims. She said she had reviewed the indictment and watched a press conference held by Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche and Kash Patel, describing the allegations outlined by federal prosecutors as “quite shocking.”
“I saw the indictment yesterday,” Leavitt said. “I saw the acting attorney general and the FBI director address it publicly. It was deeply troubling to learn of what appear to be egregious violations of federal law committed by the Southern Poverty Law Center.”
Leavitt argued that the case should dominate national headlines, claiming that the gravity of the accusations warrants front-page coverage across the country. “This is a story that should be on the front page of every newspaper in America,” she said. “If these allegations are proven true, it would mean supporters and even taxpayers have been misled for years.”
She further emphasized that the characterization of the SPLC as a criminal enterprise was not simply a political attack. “It’s a criminal organization, clearly,” Leavitt stated. “And that’s not just the Department of Justice or Todd Blanche making that claim — that language comes directly from a grand jury indictment.”
According to a DOJ announcement cited by Breitbart News, a federal grand jury in Alabama returned an indictment charging the SPLC with 11 counts, including wire fraud, making false statements to a federally insured bank, and conspiracy to commit concealment money laundering.
A DOJ press release alleges that beginning in the 1980s, the SPLC operated a covert network of individuals connected to violent extremist organizations. Prosecutors claim that some individuals were either associated with groups such as the Ku Klux Klan or had infiltrated extremist groups at the direction of the SPLC.
The indictment further alleges that, without donors’ knowledge, portions of donated funds were used to financially support leaders and organizers of racist groups, even as the SPLC publicly condemned those same groups on its website and in its advocacy work.
Federal prosecutors contend that between 2014 and 2023, the SPLC funneled more than $3 million to individuals connected to extremist organizations.
These groups allegedly included factions linked to the Ku Klux Klan, participants in the Unite the Right rally, affiliates of the Aryan Nations–associated Sadistic Souls Motorcycle Club, and the National Socialist Party of America, often described as America’s Nazi Party, among others.
🚨HAPPENING NOW: Justice Department announces indictment against Southern Poverty Law Center ("SPLC"). Our indictment alleges SPLC secretly funneled MORE THAN $3 MILLION in funds to members of white supremacist and extremist groups. pic.twitter.com/Ifpda94f7D
— U.S. Department of Justice (@TheJusticeDept) April 21, 2026
In a statement shared on X, FBI Director Kash Patel said the allegations outline what investigators believe was a long-running scheme. “The SPLC allegedly engaged in a massive fraud operation to deceive their donors, enrich themselves, and hide their deceptive operations from the public,” Patel stated.
The indictment marks a dramatic development involving one of the nation’s most well-known nonprofit advocacy organizations. Legal experts note that an indictment represents formal charges and that the SPLC, like all defendants in the American legal system, is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in court.
This evening: @DAGToddBlanche and I are announcing an 11 count indictment against the Southen Poverty Law Center.
Charges include wire fraud, false statements to a federally insured bank, and conspiracy to commit concealment money laundering.
The SPLC allegedly engaged in a…
— FBI Director Kash Patel (@FBIDirectorKash) April 21, 2026
As the case moves forward, it is expected to draw significant public and political scrutiny, with potential implications for nonprofit oversight, donor transparency, and federal enforcement actions involving advocacy organizations.
Source Breitbart
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