Dozens of far-right extremist groups and individuals, including some involved in the 6 January attack on the US Capitol, have amassed around $1.5m over the past year through social media, cryptocurrencies and tax-exempt status, according to experts.
Studies by the Global Disinformation Index (GDI) and the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) revealed that groups such as the Oath Keepers and Proud Boys used the streaming platform DLive to pull in nearly $866,700 between April 2020 and early February 2021. Megan Squire, a computer science professor at Elon University and senior fellow at the SPLC, described the finding as 'terrifying'.
In addition, Daniel Rogers, co-founder of the GDI, told a House committee that 44% of the 73 hate groups he studied had secured tax-exempt status from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), allowing them to use charity fundraising tools. He highlighted the Oath Keepers Educational Foundation, which raised funds via a conspiracy theorist podcast.
The Christian crowdfunding site GiveSendGo has also been used by at least 24 people charged over the Capitol attack to raise nearly a quarter of a million dollars for legal costs. Despite the platform's statement that it prohibits illegal fundraising, it allowed these campaigns.
Experts warned of 'degradation of enforcement' at the IRS and urged greater scrutiny of extremist financing as federal investigations into the Capitol attack widen. Squire noted that Nick Fuentes, a far-right leader, received about $250,000 in bitcoin from a mysterious French donor.
