Federal Prosecutors Arrest Former SPLC Leader, Expanding Case Against Civil Rights Group

Federal prosecutors arrested Heidi Beirich, a former top finance official at the Southern Poverty Law Center, on August 12, 2026. She faces charges of fraud and hiding illegally obtained money. The case began in April over the group's informant program targeting white supremacists. A judge rejected the SPLC's claim of unfair prosecution, allowing the case to head toward trial.