A former director at the Southern Poverty Law Center has been arrested on federal charges, accused of overseeing secret payments to informants inside White supremacist groups, according to CNN. The Justice Department alleges that Heidi Beirich, who previously led the SPLC’s hate group tracking project and served as chief financial officer, directed donor funds to sources embedded within extremist organizations.

According to the indictment filed in Montgomery, Alabama, prosecutors say Beirich managed payments through shell companies to protect informant identities and shared a bank account with one informant, with whom she allegedly had a romantic relationship. That account reportedly received $140,000 in donor money.

Federal authorities claim the SPLC, under Beirich’s oversight, paid over $1.2 million to informants over several years, including members of groups like the National Alliance, a neo-Nazi organization. Prosecutors charge Beirich with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, submitting false statements to banks, and money laundering. The government contends that SPLC donors were misled about how their contributions were used.

Beirich’s attorney, Michael Proctor, said in a statement: "A free and fair society does not use the justice system to silence its political opponents. Heidi Beirich has dedicated her life to fighting hate groups and extremist movements like the KKK, neo-Nazis, and other white supremacists." He added, "Her decades-long record of success dismantling hate groups—and the resulting threats to her life—speak volumes. For this, she has been indicted."

The SPLC itself is also facing charges related to its now-ended informant program. The organization has denied any wrongdoing, arguing that the charges are politically motivated and that federal authorities have mischaracterized its use of informants. SPLC attorney Abbe Lowell called the case "as legally and factually flawed as their previous attacks," stating that "the SPLC did not lie to donors, did not mislead the banks it did business with, and its informant program prevented violence and saved lives."

A federal judge in Alabama recently allowed the case to proceed, rejecting the SPLC’s claim that the prosecution was vindictive. As the legal process continues, both Beirich and the SPLC maintain their innocence. The next steps in the case are expected to unfold in federal court in Montgomery, Alabama.

The Afternoon News with Kitty O'Neal