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Justice Department Arrests Former SPLC Executive Heidi Beirich on Financial Charges
Just the facts
The U.S. Department of Justice charged Heidi Beirich with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, conspiracy to submit false statements to a federally insured bank, and conspiracy to commit concealment money laundering. Federal prosecutors allege that donor funds totaling $140,000 were routed into a joint bank account shared by Beirich and an informant involved in infiltrating white supremacist groups. Beirich, who currently serves as chief strategy officer and co-founder of the Global Project Against Hate and Extremism, denied the allegations through her defense attorney Michael Proctor. A federal judge in Alabama permitted the broader case against the Southern Poverty Law Center to move forward after rejecting a motion for dismissal.
Why this is news
Federal prosecutors arrested Heidi Beirich, former chief financial officer of the Southern Poverty Law Center, as part of an ongoing criminal case involving the civil rights organization. The arrest follows an April indictment targeting financial practices related to informant payments.
Sources
This summary is compiled strictly from the original reporting below.