Trump’s justice department arrests expert on far right as part of SPLC crackdown

Prosecutors charge Heidi Beirich with financial crimes as part of case against the Southern Poverty Law Center The justice department on Wednesday arrested a leading expert on far-right extremism, charging her with financial crimes as part of the government’s ongoing case against the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC).

Federal prosecutors charged Heidi Beirich, who formerly worked as an executive overseeing work monitoring hate groups , with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, conspiracy to submit false statements to a federally insured bank and conspiracy to commit concealment money laundering.

This article was amended on 13 August 2026.

A previous version said Heidi Beirich was the Southern Poverty Law Center’s former chief financial offer, after Todd Blanche, the US attorney general, had described her as such.

Beirich was formerly an executive overseeing work on hate groups.

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