George Clooney’s $1M Donation To SPLC Tied To Group Indicted Over Alleged Funding Of Extremists
Actor and activist George Clooney is facing renewed scrutiny after a $1 million donation he and his wife, Amal, made to the Southern Poverty Law Center resurfaced in connection with a federal indictment accusing the group of funding individuals tied to extremist organizations.
The United States Department of Justice alleges that the nonprofit used donor funds to pay informants embedded within white supremacist groups, including one individual linked to organizing the 2017 Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville. According to prosecutors, that informant, identified as “F-37,” received more than $270,000 between 2015 and 2023 and was involved in planning discussions for the rally.
Court documents state the informant participated in group chats used by organizers, helped coordinate transportation for attendees, and made racist posts while operating inside extremist circles. The indictment claims the individual attended the rally at the direction of the organization as part of its intelligence-gathering efforts.
The Charlottesville rally drew national attention after hundreds of neo-Nazis, Ku Klux Klan members, and other extremist groups gathered for demonstrations that turned violent. A vehicle was driven into a crowd of counter-protesters, killing one person and injuring dozens more.
Clooney’s donation came shortly after that incident. At the time, he and Amal said their $1 million contribution through the Clooney Foundation for Justice was meant to support efforts to combat hate and extremism in the United States. The organization publicly praised the donation and said it would help respond to threats like those seen in Charlottesville.
The indictment raises new questions about how funds were used. Prosecutors allege that multiple informants tied to extremist organizations were paid millions of dollars over several years. One informant, identified as “F-9,” allegedly received more than $1 million over two decades while assisting with fundraising tied to a neo-Nazi group. Another, “F-30,” was reportedly paid tens of thousands of dollars while also being listed publicly as an extremist figure.
Federal prosecutors also claim the organization used shell entities and misleading banking practices to conceal financial activity. The indictment alleges that accounts were opened under fictitious names and that false statements were made to financial institutions to keep the operation running.
As a result, the Southern Poverty Law Center faces charges including six counts of wire fraud, four counts of making false statements to a federally insured bank, and one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering.
Clooney has not issued a public statement regarding the indictment or his past donation. The case is expected to move forward in federal court, where the allegations against the organization will be examined in detail.