“Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche on Tuesday announced an indictment against the Southern Poverty Law Center, alleging the civil rights organization has engaged in financial crimes.”

“Blanche said the DOJ’s investigation found that the organization had been paying people in various leadership positions in alleged hate groups, “manufacturing the extremism it purports to oppose by paying sources to stoke racial hatred,” and then hiding those payments.”

“The 11-count indictment from a federal grand jury charges the group with six counts of wire fraud, four counts of bank fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering, Blanche said.”

“Earlier in the day, the head of SPLC said it was being "targeted" in a criminal investigation that appeared to focus on the group's use of confidential informants that gathered evidence on "extremely violent groups."”

“Bryan Fair, the interim chief executive of the group, said in a video posted Tuesday that the 55-year-old organization was facing a "serious" threat: "a criminal investigation and possible charges against the SPLC or some of our employees."”

“Fair said SPLC's confidential sources had “risked their lives to infiltrate and inform on the activities of our nation’s most radical and violent extremist groups,” and provided information to the FBI which “saved lives.””

“The Trump administration already has taken action against the SPLC, which has long faced criticism from Republicans on Capitol Hill.”