In the United States, a far

The powerful left-wing NGO, Southern Poverty Law Center, has been indicted by a federal grand jury for fraud and money laundering. The civil rights organization is accused of hiding significant amounts of money from donors, which were used to spy on several far-right groups by paying informants.

According to the indictment, the SPLC reportedly gave over $3 million to members of the Ku Klux Klan, the National Socialist movement, and the Aryan Nations between 2013 and 2014. The organization also allegedly paid over $270,000 to a person involved in the white supremacists’ dramatic rally in Charlottesville in 2017.

Despite being investigated by the FBI, the grand jury concluded the indictment. Assistant Attorney General Todd Blanche and FBI Director Kash Patel both accused the SPLC of exploiting racism to justify its existence.

The organization has refuted the allegations, claiming they are false and part of a political attack by the Trump administration.

Founded in Alabama in 1971, the SPLC has a massive budget and was initially created to combat segregation in the Southern states. However, in recent years, it has faced criticism from conservative activists for broadening its definition of ‘hate groups’ to include conservative organizations.

Despite the indictment, the legal process will determine if the SPLC intentionally used racism and illegal tactics in its operations. The organization’s director defended the confidentiality of payments as necessary to protect informants.