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| William C. Athanas |
According to a notice of appearance filed Wednesday, William C. Athanas of Bradley Arant will represent the SPLC in the criminal case.
Athanas spent four years as a trial attorney in the U.S. Department of Justice's Criminal Division Fraud Section from 2001 to 2005, then nearly four years as an Assistant U.S. attorney in the Northern District of Alabama. During that time he handled several high-profile corruption prosecutions of local politicians and a major bank fraud case.
He then spent nearly 15 years at Waller Lansden Dortch and Davis LLP, which merged with Holland & Knight LLP in 2023, as a white collar defense attorney.
Athanas has represented several healthcare executives accused of wrongdoing over the years, including one who was ultimately convicted and sentenced to 18 years in prison for stealing millions from government-funded homeless centers. He also represented Hyundai last year in a U.S. Department of Labor lawsuit accusing the car manufacturer of violating federal child labor law.
His firm bio says Athanas specializes in preventing indictments from being brought in the first place while clients are being investigated.
"When clients are charged with wrongdoing, Bill recognizes the value of a vigorous response to the government's allegations" and isn't afraid to go to trial, the bio says.
"During his career, he has tried more than 20 cases to verdict, including 15 in federal court," the bio says.
Athanas did not respond to a request for comment on Wednesday.
The criminal case was filed Tuesday in the Middle District of Alabama, and charges the SPLC with wire fraud, bank fraud and conspiracy. It claims the organization lied to donors by telling them that their money would be used to fight white supremacy, then sent roughly $3 million to the organizers of the 2017 "Unite the Right" rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, and the Ku Klux Klan.
"The SPLC is manufacturing racism to justify its existence," acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said during a Tuesday evening press conference.
The SPLC has said it no longer uses paid informants, but that it previously used them to infiltrate violent extremist groups. The SPLC said it always shared any relevant information immediately with law enforcement.
"There is no question that what we learned from informants saved lives," SPLC interim CEO Bryan Fair said in a video statement on Tuesday.
The SPLC blasted the criminal case as a cynical ploy by the Trump Administration to use the U.S. Department of Justice to persecute its political opponents.
"We are outraged by the false allegations levied against SPLC," Fair said in the video, adding that "SPLC will vigorously defend ourselves, our staff and our work; we will continue to fight hate; and we will continue to envision and create a safer and more just world."
The SPLC is a nonprofit legal advocacy group that frequently litigates cases involving voting rights, prison reform and economic inequality. It's also known for its research into white supremacist and related extremist groups.
President Donald Trump has been repeatedly accused of using the powers of the federal government to target his political opponents during his second term. The DOJ has gone after law firms that previously opposed Trump, as well as individuals like former FBI Director James Comey, New York Attorney General Letitia James and former National Security Adviser John Bolton.
The federal government is represented by Kevin P. Davidson of the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Middle District of Alabama.
The SPLC is represented by William C. Athanas of Bradley Arant Boult Cummings LLP.
The case is U.S. v. Southern Poverty Law Center Inc., case number 2:26-cr-00139, in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Alabama.
--Additional reporting by Lauren Berg. Editing by Alex Hubbard.
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