SPLC Federal Investigation Began Under Biden in 2022, Court Papers Reveal

The federal investigation into the Southern Poverty Law Center — the civil rights organisation now facing criminal charges over claims it funnelled money to the very hate groups it publicly campaigned against — began in 2022 under President Joe Biden, according to court papers cited by the New York Post. Reported on Tuesday, November 10, 2026, the revelation reframes one of the most politically charged prosecutions of the Trump era and undercuts the SPLC's central defence: that the case is a vindictive prosecution brought to punish a critic. The SPLC federal investigation, the papers show, predates President Donald Trump's return to the White House by years.

Key Points

• The federal investigation into the Southern Poverty Law Center started in 2022 under President Joe Biden, court papers reveal.
• The SPLC sought to have the case dismissed as a "vindictive prosecution"; the motion was struck down in August 2026.
• Much of the government's case rests on informant "F-9", a former National Alliance member who handed over 1.2TB of data after falling out with SPLC official Heidi Beirich.
• The SPLC, which listed $787 million in assets in 2024, has pleaded not guilty and says it only paid confidential field sources to monitor extremist threats.

What Happened

Court papers filed in the case show the federal investigation into the SPLC began in 2022, during the Biden administration, the New York Post reported on Tuesday, November 10, 2026. The timing matters because the SPLC has argued that the prosecution was launched by the Trump administration as retaliation. Its lawyers filed a motion to dismiss the case as a "vindictive prosecution" — a claim a judge rejected in August, allowing the case to proceed.

Attorney General Todd Blanche said on Fox News in April that the case had been "mysteriously closed" under Biden, with no information about why the investigation was shut down. The Trump administration revived it after taking office in 2025, and federal prosecutors brought charges that April. The SPLC has pleaded not guilty.

At the centre of the charges is an extraordinary allegation: that the SPLC gave money to members of hate groups that was used to keep those groups operating — and then used the same groups as examples of the extremism it was fundraising against.

Background and Context

Founded in 1971 in Montgomery, Alabama, the Southern Poverty Law Center built its reputation suing white supremacist groups and tracking extremist movements through its Intelligence Project. Its fundraising made it one of the wealthiest non-profits in American civil rights, with $787 million in assets listed in 2024.

Critics have long accused the SPLC of exaggerating the extremist threat to raise money; supporters say its monitoring exposed dangerous groups and protected vulnerable communities. The criminal case now puts those competing claims before a jury.

SPLC Federal Investigation: What the Court Papers Show

According to the court papers cited by the Post, much of the government's case comes from a single informant identified in filings as "F-9". The Post identified him as Lawrence "Scary Larry" Myers, a former member of the white separatist National Alliance. Myers was also in a relationship with Heidi Beirich, the director of the SPLC's Intelligence Project, who is herself a defendant and has pleaded not guilty.

SPLC lawyers say Myers turned against the organisation after being jilted by Beirich and cut off financially between December 2021 and July 2023, then handed over 1.2 terabytes of data from five hard drives and two thumb drives.

Since October 2025, when the Trump administration revived the investigation, Myers has exchanged more than 1,800 text messages and held 20 meetings with FBI and IRS agents, according to the filings. He also presented investigators with 162 pages of PowerPoint slides he assembled as "Intelligence Briefings", including decks bearing official FBI and IRS seals.

Reactions and Quotes

The SPLC maintains that it did nothing wrong. Its position, as stated in court, is that it only paid confidential field sources — a standard investigative tool used to monitor extremist threats. The organisation has pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Attorney General Todd Blanche said on Fox News in April that the case had been "mysteriously closed" under Biden, with no information on why the investigation was shut down.

The SPLC's lawyers, in an October 28 filing, sought to preserve documents and subpoena Myers, saying he "bears deep resentment against the SPLC and thus has a motive to provide the government only the material he thinks inculpates the SPLC".

Why It Matters

The case matters for three reasons. First, it tests the credibility of one of the most influential voices in American civil rights. If prosecutors prove the SPLC paid to sustain the groups it warned about, the damage to its reputation — and to research journalists and policymakers rely on — would be severe.

Second, it tests the line between legitimate intelligence-gathering and criminal conduct. Paying informants inside extremist groups is a recognised investigative method. Prosecutors must show the payments went beyond monitoring and into actively keeping hate groups alive. Third, the 2022 start date changes the politics of the case. The SPLC's claim of vindictive prosecution was always its strongest public argument; the court papers showing a Biden-era origin do not settle whether the prosecution is fair — the decision to revive and charge it was still the current administration's — but they make the simple retaliation story harder to sustain.

What Happens Next

The trial is scheduled to begin in February, when a jury will hear the government's case built largely on Myers' testimony and the 1.2TB trove he provided. Before then, expect further pre-trial fights over his credibility and the admissibility of the materials he handed over.

Whatever the verdict, the case has already reshaped the debate about the SPLC: supporters see a target of a hostile administration; critics see proof the questions about its methods predate Trump.

Frequently Asked Questions

When did the federal investigation into the SPLC start?
Court papers cited by the New York Post show it began in 2022 under President Joe Biden — years before the Trump administration revived it in 2025 and brought charges in April 2026.

What is the SPLC accused of?
Prosecutors allege the SPLC gave money to members of hate groups that was used to keep those groups operating, then used the groups as examples of the extremism it fundraised against. The SPLC has pleaded not guilty.

Who is the informant known as "F-9"?
The Post identified "F-9" as Lawrence "Scary Larry" Myers, a former member of the white separatist National Alliance who was in a relationship with SPLC Intelligence Project director Heidi Beirich. He handed investigators 1.2TB of data.

Why does the SPLC say the case should be dismissed?
The SPLC argued the prosecution was vindictive — brought by the Trump administration to punish a critic. A judge struck down that motion in August 2026.

When does the trial begin?
The trial is scheduled to begin in February; no exact date has been publicly confirmed.

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