[ April 25, 2024 ]
The Southern Poverty Law Center, the Alabama nonprofit that just made national headlines for its anti-conservative “hate group” list, has made several financial transfers to foreign entities, the Washington Free Beacon found.
For instance, the SPLC’s Form 8865, a Return of U.S. Persons With Respect to Certain Foreign Partnerships, shows the group sent hundreds of thousands of dollars to an account in the Cayman Islands.
Yes, this is the same Cayman Islands known as a shelter for tax dodgers.
Story continues below advertisement
From the Free Beacon:
SPLC lists Tiger Global Management LLC, a New York-based private equity financial firm, as an agent on its form. The form shows a foreign partnership between the SPLC and Tiger Global Private Investment Partners IX, L.P., a pooled investment fund in the Cayman Islands. SPLC transferred $960,000 in cash on Nov. 24, 2014 to Tiger Global Private Investment Partners IX, L.P, its records show.
The SPLC’s Form 926, a Return by a U.S. Transferor of Property to a Foreign Corporation, from 2014 shows additional cash transactions that the nonprofit had sent to offshore funds.
The SPLC reported a $102,007 cash transfer on Dec. 24, 2014 to BPV-III Cayman X Limited, a foreign entity located in the Cayman Islands. The group then sent $157,574 in cash to BPV-III Cayman XI Limited on Dec. 31, 2014, an entity that lists the same PO Box address in Grand Cayman as the previous transfer.
The nonprofit pushed millions more into offshore funds at the beginning of 2015.
On March 1, 2015, SPLC sent $2,200,000 to an entity incorporated in Canana Bay, Cayman Islands, according to Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) records and run by a firm firm based in Greenwich, Ct. Another $2,200,000 cash transfer was made on the same day to another fund whose business is located at the same address as the previous fund in the Cayman Islands, according to SEC records.
No information is contained on its interests in Bermuda on the 2014 forms. SPLC’s financial stakes in the British Virgin Islands were not acknowledged until its 2015 tax form.
Lucinda Chappelle, a principal at Jackson Thornton, the public accounting firm in Montgomery, Ala., that prepared the SPLC’s tax forms, said she does not discuss client matters and hung up the phone when the Free Beacon contacted her in an attempt to get the most updated forms from the group in relation to its foreign business dealings.
Tax experts expressed confusion when being told of the transfer.
“I’ve never known a US-based nonprofit dealing in human rights or social services to have any foreign bank accounts,” said Amy Sterling Casil, CEO of Pacific Human Capital, a California-based nonprofit consulting firm. “My impression based on prior interactions is that they have a small, modestly paid staff, and were regarded by most in the industry as frugal and reliable. I am stunned to learn of transfers of millions to offshore bank accounts. It is a huge red flag and would have been completely unacceptable to any wealthy, responsible, experienced board member who was committed to a charitable mission who I ever worked with.”
“It is unethical for any US-based charity to invest large sums of money overseas,” said Casil. “I know of no legitimate reason for any US-based nonprofit to put money in overseas, unregulated bank accounts.”
“It seems extremely unusual for a ‘501(c)(3)’ concentrating upon reducing poverty in the American South to have multiple bank accounts in tax haven nations,” Charles Ortel, a former Wall Street analyst and financial advisor who helped uncover a 2009 financial scandal at General Electric, told the Free Beacon.
The nonprofit also pays lucrative salaries to its top leadership.
Richard Cohen, president and chief executive officer of the SPLC, was given $346,218 in base compensation in 2015, its tax forms show. Cohen received $20,000 more in other reportable compensation and non-taxable benefits. Morris Dees, SPLC’s chief trial counsel, received a salary of $329,560 with $42,000 in additional reportable compensation and non-taxable benefits.
The minimum amount paid to an officer, director, trustee, or key employee in 2015 was $140,000 in base salary, not including other compensation. The group spent $20 million on salaries throughout the year.
The SPLC, which claims to boast a staff of 75 lawyers who practice in the area of children’s rights, economic justice, immigrant justice, LGBT rights, and criminal justice reform, reported spending only $61,000 on legal services in 2015.
Following recent violence in Charlottesville, Va., the group raised a great deal of money.
Apple CEO Tim Cook told his employees that the company is donating $1 million to the SPLC and would match employee contributions two to one. Cook also placed an SPLC donation button in its iTunes store. The company is additionally providing a $1 million donation to the Anti-Defamation League.
J.P Morgan Chase vowed to add a $500,000 donation for the group’s “work in tracking, exposing, and fighting hate groups and other extremist organizations.”
The Washington Times reported that CNN ran a wire story following the Charlottesville events originally titled, “Here are all the active hate groups where you live” using SPLC’s list of 917 groups.
Brad Dacus, the president of the Pacific Justice Institute, a Sacramento-based group that defends “religious freedom, parental rights, and other civil liberties without charge,” was listed on the “hate groups” list.
“Why is the Southern Poverty Law Center doing this? It’s simple. They want to vilify and isolate anyone that doesn’t agree with their very extremist leftist policy and ideology,” Dacus told the Times. “This isn’t about defending civil rights; this is about attacking civil rights.”
“I am shocked that CNN would publish such a false report on the heels of the Charlottesville tragedy,” added Mat Staver, the founder of Liberty Counsel, a Christian nonprofit that provides pro bono assistance and representation, which is also featured on SPLC’s list. “To lump peaceful Christian organizations, which condemn violence and racism, in with the KKK, neo-Nazis, and white supremacists is offensive. This is the epitome of fake news and is why people no longer trust the media.”
CNN later changed its headline to, “The Southern Poverty Law Center’s list of hate groups.”
“The SPLC is an anti-conservative, anti-Christian hate group that the media have given pretend legitimacy to. One glance at their 990 tax forms is a reminder just what a fund-raising super-power it is,” Dan Gainor, vice president of Business and Culture at the Media Research Center, told the Free Beacon. “Its assets are over $328 million in 2015 and went up $13 million in just one year. It doesn’t need new liberal money. It could operate for at least six years and never raise a penny. It’s like a perpetual motion machine for fundraisers.”
The SPLC has also been hit with a number of lawsuits over “hate” defamation claims in recent days.
The Southern Poverty Law Center did not return a request for comment on its foreign financial dealings by press time.
The Truth Must be Told
Your contribution supports independent journalism
Please take a moment to consider this. Now, more than ever, people are reading Geller Report for news they won't get anywhere else. But advertising revenues have all but disappeared. Google Adsense is the online advertising monopoly and they have banned us. Social media giants like Facebook and Twitter have blocked and shadow-banned our accounts. But we won't put up a paywall. Because never has the free world needed independent journalism more.
Everyone who reads our reporting knows the Geller Report covers the news the media won't. We cannot do our ground-breaking report without your support. We must continue to report on the global jihad and the left's war on freedom. Our readers’ contributions make that possible.
Geller Report's independent, investigative journalism takes a lot of time, money and hard work to produce. But we do it because we believe our work is critical in the fight for freedom and because it is your fight, too.
Please contribute here.
or
Make a monthly commitment to support The Geller Report – choose the option that suits you best.
Quick note: We cannot do this without your support. Fact. Our work is made possible by you and only you. We receive no grants, government handouts, or major funding.Tech giants are shutting us down. You know this. Twitter, LinkedIn, Google Adsense, Pinterest permanently banned us. Facebook, Google search et al have shadow-banned, suspended and deleted us from your news feeds. They are disappearing us. But we are here.
Subscribe to Geller Report newsletter here— it’s free and it’s essential NOW when informed decision making and opinion is essential to America's survival. Share our posts on your social channels and with your email contacts. Fight the great fight.
Follow Pamela Geller on Gettr. I am there. click here.
Follow Pamela Geller on Trump's social media platform, Truth Social. It's open and free.
Remember, YOU make the work possible. If you can, please contribute to Geller Report.
Join The Conversation. Leave a Comment.
We have no tolerance for comments containing violence, racism, profanity, vulgarity, doxing, or discourteous behavior. If a comment is spammy or unhelpful, click the - symbol under the comment to let us know. Thank you for partnering with us to maintain fruitful conversation.
If you would like to join the conversation, but don't have an account, you can sign up for one right here.
If you are having problems leaving a comment, it's likely because you are using an ad blocker, something that break ads, of course, but also breaks the comments section of our site. If you are using an ad blocker, and would like to share your thoughts, please disable your ad blocker. We look forward to seeing your comments below.
25 Comments
6 years ago
morris the sleaze dees…brings “ambulance”chasing to new heights. This organization has no scrupples when it comes to who they declare a “hate grp”…its anyone they disagree with.
6 years ago
Reply to
Scott Snoopy
Here is a real adventure: Try doing a search for SPLC’s list of hate groups and/or individuals and all you get is server connection error messages. Gutless bastards.
6 years ago
They are funded by saudi/qatar/soros to promote Left/liberal/jihadis and their agenda and one of best ways to do it is to smear opponents that includes freedom lovers, nationalists, human rights activists and those that expose jihadi idealogy/crimes.
Deport the hardcore repeat offenders/jihadi supporters among Left/liberals along with Muslims like this country is doing http://bit.ly/2gh6A72
..only this can save non-muslim lands from future destruction and jihadis attacks.
6 years ago
please please please send them to jail… no legit organization would EVER launder money by sending it to a tax haven like the camen islands, even apple, mgm gave money to this creepy organization… dont buy an apple phone
D
6 years ago
Reply to
brock marks
Didn’t George Cloney just donate over a mil to this group , you know , after fleeing Europe and England because it wasn’t safe enough for him now . What a mealy mouthed putz .
6 years ago
A tax audit with complete examination of all of splc’s financial transactions would be a very interesting thing to see.
6 years ago
Reply to
Mahou Shoujo
There are ways, if they got Al Capone for tax evasion, they can put some effort into this.
6 years ago
Reply to
Mahou Shoujo
Which one, Dorrie? There are plenty to choose from, that’s for sure!
More than a few white ones, too! Then, there is Geraldo, I think he is Hispanic and we don’t want to leave anyone out, or we will be labeled some despicable term, like “Deplorable”!
6 years ago
The Southern, Lavish Life-Style Law Center. “Quite frankly my dear I don’t give a damn!”
6 years ago
Where is the Justice Dept’s investigation? This is absurdly self evident that they are scamming the system and hardly spending a dime on poverty.
6 years ago
As has been said many times under similar smelly circumstances, “If it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck, it’s a duck.”
6 years ago
Look at Morris Dees. How old and ugly he is getting. HATE does that to you, ya know. Rotting like Bill Clinton and George Soros.
6 years ago
The Southern Poverty Law Center used $20 million for salaries and presumably a lot more for “EXPENSES”, plus hiding millions more, in “OFF SHORE ACCOUNTS”! They appear to be involved in a lot more than curing poverty for anyone, other than themselves! Hillary’s minions are expanding exponentially.
6 years ago
Reply to
Fredrick Rehders
They also buy bureaucrats, especially in congress. Members continue to subsidize the SPLC with taxpayer money to get kickbacks in the millions of dollars.
6 years ago
Reply to
marlene
I know what you mean, marlene! Politicians are influenced by lobbyists, that have some creative ways to reward those who initiate legislation and vote in a favorable way… and the bureaucrats being administration appointees, along with those that are career government employees are tempted with gifts, favors and personal agendas. Honor in the swamp is hard to find. Hey, it’s the swamp!
6 years ago
Reply to
Fredrick Rehders
I wonder where the SPLC gets most of its funding from? I doubt it’s from legitimate businesses and more likely from muslum NGO’s or muslum petrocracies.
6 years ago
Reply to
IzlamIsTyranny
The article stated a few sources of their income. Apple gave a million and asked their employees to donate, then JP Morgan Chase Bank gave $500,000 and of course the beat goes on. Disgruntled liberal regressive Socialists are so misguided, that they prefer everyone that is not an elite, like themselves, to share the poverty with those unwilling or unable to be productive and earn their keep. They give millions to hate groups and corrupt politicians, but let the government provide, for those mentioned, above, by taxing wages of those that provide the labor for maintaining the infrastructure, goods & services. I have never met a liberal that could define their ideological philosophy and successfully defend it. They are the fuzziest of thinkers, if they bother to think at all.
6 years ago
Dang! I thought they just rescued animals, from cruelty.
6 years ago
What oh what is that pasty faced white`bread doing mixed in with the chocolate chippers?
6 years ago
Reply to
Ron Cole
Seinfeld had a bit on these cookies — interestingly enough, Jerry got sick after eating one of them.
6 years ago
Great Avatar Sir!
Long live General Robert e. Lee CSA.
D
6 years ago
It is quite strange that they transferred their money to foreign bank accounts during Obama reign. Were they trying to hide money from Hillary?
D
6 years ago
If nothing else, he provides aid and material comfort to domestic terrorists. R.I.C.O.
