I just read this article and think it is fantastic: “Sovereign Citizen Gurus: Inciting a Lawless World” (63 U. Louisville L. Rev. 455) by Paige White at the University of Louisville Brandeis School of Law, 2025. The premise: Sovereign citizen “gurus” profit from teaching debt scams and pseudo-legal tactics, often online. This article argues they’re not just grifters—they’re inciters. By pushing detailed how-to guides to defraud the gov’t, they meet the legal threshold for incitement. Time to treat their speech like the crime it sparks.
The sovereign citizen movement is often dismissed as fringe and bizarre, but a recent law review note from the University of Louisville warns that it’s far more dangerous than it appears—especially when it comes to its self-styled “gurus.”
These gurus are influencers within the movement who sell seminars, books, and pseudo-legal guides promising followers financial freedom by filing bogus legal documents. They promote the belief that U.S. citizens can access secret government bank accounts linked to their birth certificates to eliminate debt. The problem? These teachings aren’t just false—they often lead directly to criminal conduct like fraud, tax evasion, and wire fraud.
The note argues that sovereign citizen gurus aren’t simply spreading misinformation; they’re inciting lawlessness. Using frameworks from incitement law, including the Brandenburg test and modern adaptations for internet speech, the author shows how many gurus meet the legal standard for incitement: their speech encourages illegal acts, intends to do so, and often results in followers breaking the law shortly after exposure to the content.
Examples include YouTube creators and seminar hosts who instruct viewers exactly how to file fraudulent financial forms. In one case, a guru’s detailed advice led attendees to file fake tax refund claims totaling millions. Though some high-profile gurus have been convicted of related crimes, many continue to operate freely online, their content reaching vulnerable people during economic crises.
The note calls for Congress—particularly the Homeland Security Committee—to investigate these gurus and consider applying incitement laws to curb their influence. It also urges legal scholars to continue analyzing this behavior under First Amendment and criminal law frameworks, especially as sovereign ideologies spread more easily through social media.
The bottom line: Sovereign citizen speech isn’t just strange—it’s strategic, harmful, and potentially prosecutable.
Also, as soon as I can link directly to the article, I will do so.