Former US President Donald Trump currently faces three indictments related to his time as president, which involve hush money payments, mishandling classified documents, and alleged election interference.
An upcoming fourth indictment might see Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis use Georgia’s RICO Act against Trump, accusing him of racketeering related to his alleged meddling in the 2020 state election results.
“It [invoking Georgia’s RICO Act] gives prosecutors lots of choices as far as venue goes, and it leads to very long complicated trials that wear down defense attorneys,” said Andrew Fleischman, a defense lawyer in Atlanta, to a US media.
This state-level act is similar to the federal Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act of 1970, often used against organized crime groups.
Legal experts suggest Willis might employ this act due to her past successes with it and its potential to link various actions by Trump’s associates nationwide.
Already facing federal charges, the election interference case in Georgia proves the second such investigation into the Trump case over the 2020 presidential election. To date, Trump’s legal battles span multiple states, including New York and Florida, where he pleaded not guilty to all charges.
Notably, Willis has brought on John Floyd, a recognized racketeering offense expert, to her team. A grand jury will convene in the coming weeks to determine if criminal charges against Trump and his Republican allies are justified.