Attorney General James Uthmeier Launches Civil Investigation, Subpoenas SPLC over Deceptive Fundraising Practices

TALLAHASSEE, Fla.—Attorney General James Uthmeier announced a civil investigation into the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) for alleged deceptive and unfair practices related to charitable solicitations and fundraising. The investigative subpoena commands SPLC to produce all documents and evidence by May 25, 2026.

“The SPLC raises millions in charitable donations every year, while allegedly paying members and leaders within the very groups it purports to fight,” said Attorney General James Uthmeier. “SPLC appears to be running a deceptive organization that pays informants to manufacture racism on its behalf. If these allegations are true, there will be consequences.”

The subpoena demands the SPLC produce the following information:

    1. Documents disclosing to Florida donors or prospective Florida donors SPLC’s use or proposed use of Informants.

    2. Exemplar documents used to market or advertise SPLC’s mission, fundraising objectives, and services to prospective Florida donors, including the date each Document was created and length of time the Document was used for SPLC’s marketing or advertising.

    3. Documents identifying all names, aliases, or DBAs SPLC used when soliciting charitable contributions, or which have been used by third parties when soliciting on SPLC’s behalf.

    4. Documents sufficient to show any changes on SPLC’s website or in other Communications regarding SPLC’s solicitation of donations and the date any changes were made. 

    5. Documents sufficient to show changes on SPLC’s website or in other Communications relating to where or how proceeds of donations will be used or distributed. 

    6. Documents sufficient to show changes on SPLC’s website or in other Communications regarding SPLC’s use of Informants. 

    7. Documents sufficient to identify all websites SPLC has used to solicit donations. 

    8. Documents sufficient to show the annual donations SPLC received from donors in the State of Florida. 

    9. Documents sufficient to show SPLC’s annual disbursements of donated funds, directly or indirectly, to Informants. 

    10. Documents sufficient to show SPLC’s policies and procedures for requesting, approving, or paying funds related to SPLC’s Informant program. 

    11. Documents sufficient to reflect the percentage of SPLC’s annual budget allocated to Informant-related costs. 

    12. Documents sufficient to show any donation, payment, or other financial contribution paid to any group or individual appearing on SPLC’s “Extremist Files”, or appearing on any similar list, map, or directory maintained by SPLC, including, but not limited to, those identified on SPLC’s “hate map.”

    13. Internal Communications related to the disclosure or non-disclosure of the use of Informants. 

    14. Exemplars of all Communications with Florida donors related to SPLC’s use of donor funds. 

    15. Documents required to obtain and maintain SPLC’s 501(c)(3) status or other licenses or certifications as a non-profit or charitable entity. 

    16. Documents sufficient to identify all Florida addresses used by the Company, including, but not limited to, addresses where the Company actually operated and addresses where the Company received correspondence. 

    17. Documents containing representations SPLC made (or information you provided) to financial institutions, technology companies, banks, credit card processors, financial infrastructure companies, and other businesses regarding SPLC’s “Extremists Files”, “hate map”, the Change the Terms coalition, SPLC’s Intelligence Project, and the No Blood Money Campaign, including, but not limited to, all documents relating to any meeting, Communication, or conversation in which such representations were made. 

The full subpoena can be viewed here.

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