DOJ issued an indictment today against the Southern Poverty Law Center – here. It charges six counts of wire fraud, four counts of false statements to a federally insured bank, and one count of conspiracy to commit concealment money laundering. It alleges that “[t]o carry out this scheme and artifice, the SPLC explicitly sought donations under the auspices that donor money would be used to help ‘dismantle’ violent extremist groups.”
According to Politico – here, “[t]he SPLC says it has used informants when tracking and exposing hate groups, including white supremacists.” Politico quoted SPLC’s interim CEO Bryan Fair: “These individuals risked their lives to infiltrate and inform on the activities of our nation’s most radical and violent extremist groups.” (See also video –A Beacon of Hope in the Fight Against Hate and Extremism– here)
So where’s the wire fraud? Wire fraud (18 U.S.C. 1343) requires 1) a scheme devised or intending to defraud or for obtaining money or property by fraudulent means; 2) intent; 3) materiality; and 4) a transmittal in interstate or foreign commerce by means of wire, radio, or television communication of writings, signs, signals, pictures or sounds.
If the DOJ has not already, they might want to watch the movie, BlacKkKlansman, which was about how the KKK was infiltrated by law enforcement. Am I not mistaken – doesn’t the DOJ pay informants for information?
(esp)