Southern Poverty Law Center Asks Judge To Dismiss DOJ Fraud Indictment
The Southern Poverty Law Center filed a 47-page motion Tuesday in U.S. District Court in the Middle District of Alabama asking a judge to dismiss an 11-count Justice Department indictment as vindictive.[1]
The April indictment accuses the nonprofit of wire fraud and bank fraud tied to payments to informants.[1] The SPLC says the filing points to FBI and IRS investigations from 2019 and 2020 that produced no charges.[1] It says the case was reopened after public attacks by President Trump and other officials.[1]
The motion also cites a recent federal decision that dismissed smuggling charges against Kilmar Abrego Garcia as an example of vindictive prosecution.[1] The SPLC says that ruling bolsters its due-process claim and asks the court to block the government from trying the case.[1]
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📌 Key Facts
- On Tuesday, May 26, 2026, the SPLC filed a 47-page motion in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Alabama to dismiss its indictment as a vindictive prosecution.
- DOJ secured an 11-count indictment against the SPLC in April 2026, charging the nonprofit with wire fraud and bank fraud tied to payments to informants.
- The SPLC motion cites prior FBI and IRS investigations from 2019–2020 that ended without charges and argues the case was later reopened after repeated public attacks by President Trump and other officials.
- The filing references a recent federal decision dismissing smuggling charges against Kilmar Abrego Garcia as vindictive to bolster its due‑process argument.
📰 Source Timeline (1)
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