Donald Trump and 18 of his allies were indicted in Georgia for their efforts to overturn his 2020 election loss in the state. The indictment accuses them of engaging in a criminal enterprise to keep Trump in power.
The indictment spells out various crimes by Trump and his co-defendants, including pressuring Georgia’s Republican Secretary of State to find enough votes for Trump to win, harassing election workers, and attempting to persuade Georgia lawmakers to appoint new electoral college electors favorable to Trump.
The indictment also outlines a plot involving one of Trump’s lawyers to access voting machines in a rural Georgia county and steal data.
Other defendants in the indictment include former White House chief of staff Mark Meadows, Trump attorney Rudy Giuliani, and a Trump administration Justice Department official, Jeffrey Clark.
The details below will be updated as the case progresses.
Donald Trump
Following the 2020 election, then-President Trump focused on his narrow defeat in Georgia, making baseless claims of extensive election fraud.
He contacted senior state officials, including Governor Brian Kemp, urging them to overturn his loss. On January 2, 2021, Trump proposed to Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger that he could assist in “finding” the necessary votes for a Trump victory in the state.
The investigation into potential unlawful efforts to sway the election was initiated by Willis soon after the release of the call’s recording.
Charges
- Violation of the Georgia RICO (Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations) Act
- Solicitation of violation of oath by public officer
- Conspiracy to commit impersonating a public officer
- Conspiracy to commit forgery in the first degree
- Conspiracy to commit false statements and writings
- Conspiracy to commit filing false documents
- Conspiracy to commit forgery in the first degree
- Conspiracy to commit false statements and writings
- Filing false documents
- Solicitation of violation of oath by public officer
- False statements and writings
- Solicitation of violation of oath by public officer
- False statements and writings
Mark Meadows
Meadows faces two charges in Georgia, breach of the RICO law and urging a public official to break their oath, centered around a January 2021 call where he and Trump urged Georgia’s Secretary of State to overturn the election results in Trump’s favor.
He failed in his attempt to shift the case to federal court for claiming immunity granted to many federal workers.
During an August 2023 hearing, Meadows, under oath, argued that his actions were tied to his official duties as Trump’s chief of staff. The federal judge’s decision on the case transfer is pending.
Meadows has been granted immunity to federal charges and has provided explosive testimony to special counsel Jack Smith’s team. Meadows revealed that he repeatedly warned former President Donald Trump about the baseless nature of the allegations of significant voting fraud following the 2020 presidential election.
Charges
- Violation of the Georgia RICO Act
- Solicitation of violation of oath by public officer
Rudy Giuliani
In December 2020, the ex-New York mayor and Trump’s lawyer advocated unfounded claims of extensive election fraud in Georgia at multiple legislative sessions held at the state Capitol.
Prosecutors alleged that Giuliani participated in a scheme where 16 Georgia Republicans acted as counterfeit electors, erroneously affirming that Trump won the 2020 presidential election and self-declaring as the state’s “duly elected and qualified” electors.
Charges
- Violation of the Georgia RICO Act
- Solicitation of Violation of Oath by public officer
- False statements and writings
- Solicitation of violation of oath by public officer
- False statements and writings
- Conspiracy to commit impersonating a public officer
- Conspiracy to commit forgery in the first degree
- Conspiracy to commit false statements and writing
- Conspiracy to commit filing false documents
- Conspiracy to commit forgery in the first degree
- Conspiracy to commit false statements and writings
- Solicitation of violation of oath by public officer
- False statements and writings
Sidney Powell
Powell, a lawyer and devoted Trump supporter, participated in a December 2020 White House meeting where attendees devised improbable plans.
She was also in a group that met in November 2020 at conservative lawyer Lin Wood’s South Carolina residence to discuss ways to impact the November 2020 elections’ outcomes in Georgia and beyond, according to prosecutors.
Moreover, prosecutors claim Powell coordinated a computer forensics team’s trip to Coffee County, around 200 miles southeast of Atlanta, to duplicate data and software from election equipment in January 2021.
Plea Deal
Powell pleaded guilty to lesser charges in her attempts to overturn the 2020 election results in Georgia.
Powell admitted guilt to six misdemeanors related to conspiring to disrupt election duties, a day before her trial’s jury selection.
The plea agreement entails a six-year probation, a $6,000 fine, and an obligation to apologize to Georgia and its citizens in writing.
Powell also provided a statement to prosecutors and committed to offering honest testimony against her co-defendants in upcoming trials.
Original Charges
- Violation of the Georgia RICO Act
- Conspiracy to commit election fraud
- Conspiracy to commit election fraud
- Conspiracy to commit computer theft
- Conspiracy to commit computer trespass
- Conspiracy to commit computer invasion of privacy
- Conspiracy to defraud the state
John Eastman
Eastman, a former dean of Chapman University Law School and one of Trump’s lawyers, played an outsized role in Trump’s attempts to retain power post the 2020 election.
He dreamed up and authored the memo proposing that Trump could stay in power if then-Vice President Mike Pence rejected the electoral certification during a Congress joint session. He basically started the whole deal.
This strategy involved appointing “alternate” electors in seven key states, including Georgia, to erroneously certify Trump as the winner in their respective states.
Charges
- Violation of the Georgia RICO Act
- Solicitation of Violation of Oath by public officer
- Conspiracy to commit impersonating a public officer
- Conspiracy to commit forgery in the first degree
- Conspiracy to commit false statements and writing
- Conspiracy to commit filing false documents
- Conspiracy to commit forgery in the first degree
- Conspiracy to commit false statements and writings
- Filing false documents
Kenneth Chesebro
Prosecutors claim that attorney Chesebro collaborated with Republicans in several swing states lost by Trump, including Georgia, under Trump’s campaign directive.
Chesebro is accused of orchestrating and executing a scheme to falsely have 16 Georgia Republicans certify that Trump won, designating themselves as the state’s “duly elected and qualified” electors.
Plea Deal
Chesebro has pleaded guilty to a single felony charge of conspiracy to file false documents.
He received a sentence of five years probation, a requirement of 100 hours of community service, and was ordered to pay $5,000 in restitution.
He has also agreed to testify against his co-conspirators in upcoming trials.
Original Charges
- Violation of the Georgia RICO Act
- Conspiracy to commit impersonating a public officer
- Conspiracy to commit forgery in the first degree
- Conspiracy to commit false statements and writing
- Conspiracy to commit filing false documents
- Conspiracy to commit forgery in the first degree
- Conspiracy to commit false statements and writings
Jeffery Clark
Clark was a U.S. Justice Department official who supported Trump’s false election fraud claims, drafted a letter urging Georgia officials to hold a special legislative session regarding the election outcomes.
This was revealed during a testimony at a U.S. House committee investigating the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riot. Although Clark wished for the letter to be sent, his superiors at the Justice Department declined.
Charges
- Violation of the Georgia RICO Act
- Criminal attempt to commit influencing witnesses
Ray Smith
Smith is an Atlanta-based attorney specializing in business, real estate, election, and probate litigation. Smith was hired by former President Donald Trump as his local attorney of record.
He is accused of advising alternate GOP electors and submitting false documents claiming Trump won the election.
Charges
- Violation of the Georgia RICO Act
- Solicitation of Violation of Oath by public officer
- False statements and writings
- Solicitation of violation of oath by public officer
- Conspiracy to commit impersonating a public officer
- Conspiracy to commit forgery in the first degree
- Conspiracy to commit false statements and writing
- Conspiracy to commit filing false documents
- Conspiracy to commit forgery in the first degree
- Conspiracy to commit false statements and writings
Robert Cheeley
Robert Cheeley, an American attorney, is a prominent figure in Georgia’s legal and political scenes.
He has gained recognition for his role in major cases, such as those involving elections (see below) and lawsuits against several large companies.
As of 25-Oct, 2023, Cheeley has declined a plea deal from the Fulton Country DA Office.
Charges
- Violation of the Georgia RICO Act
- Conspiracy to commit impersonating a public officer
- Conspiracy to commit forgery in the first degree
- Conspiracy to commit false statements and writing
- Conspiracy to commit filing false documents
- Conspiracy to commit forgery in the first degree
- Conspiracy to commit false statements and writings
- Solicitation of violation of oath by public officer
- False statements and writings
- Perjury
Michael Roman
Michael Roman, an American political operative and opposition researcher, worked for President Donald Trump and his 2020 campaign.
Known for his unsubstantiated claims about voter fraud, he was involved in delivering a list of false electors for Michigan and Wisconsin in 2020.
His actions led to an attempt to present these lists to Vice President Mike Pence before the electoral vote count on January 6, 2021.
Charges
- Violation of the Georgia RICO Act
- Conspiracy to commit impersonating a public officer
- Conspiracy to commit forgery in the first degree
- Conspiracy to commit false statements and writing
- Conspiracy to commit filing false documents
- Conspiracy to commit forgery in the first degree
- Conspiracy to commit false statements and writings
Jenna Ellis
Jenna Ellis, a former deputy district attorney at the Weld County District Attorney’s Office in Colorado, was fired in 2013 for unsatisfactory performance, including mistakes in cases and not adhering to the Victim Rights Act.
Contrary to her claim of being fired for refusing to bring an unethical prosecution, documents reveal her termination was due to errors and performance issues. Despite this, she was eligible for unemployment benefits, as her mistakes were not deemed significant compared to the total number of cases she handled.
Ellis, who graduated from the University of Richmond School of Law in 2011, later became a senior legal adviser to President Donald Trump’s campaign and played a high-profile role in challenging the 2020 election results.
She joined Trump’s team after defending him on Fox News and had been involved in legal efforts to overturn the election results.
Plea Deal
Ellis accepted a plea agreement and admitted guilt to a single charge of aiding and abetting false statements and writings.
As part of her sentence, Ellis received five years of probation, was mandated to pay $5,000 in restitution to the Georgia secretary of state, complete 100 hours of community service, and compose a letter of apology.
Additionally, she consented to cooperate with the prosecution and provide truthful testimony against other defendants in the case.
Original Charges
- Violation of the Georgia RICO Act
- Solicitation of Violation of Oath by public officer
David Shafer
Shafer has been involved in Georgia politics since the early 1990s, starting as the executive director of the Georgia Republican Party.
Shafer’s political career includes managing a gubernatorial campaign in 1994, serving as a Republican member of the Georgia State Senate from 2002, and later becoming the chairman of the Georgia Republican Party in 2019.
Shafer has been involved in several controversies, including his support for Georgia’s voting reform bill, SB 202, in 2021, and his role in challenging the 2020 presidential election results.
Shafer’s defense claims he acted on legal advice from Trump’s counsel.
Charges
- Violation of the Georgia RICO Act
- Impersonating a public officer
- Forgery in the first degree
- False statements and writings
- Criminal attempt to commit filing false documents
- Forgery in the first degree
- False statements and writings
- False statements and writings
Shawn Still
Still is a Republican politician, currently serving as the senator for Georgia’s 48th district since 2023. He graduated from the University of Alabama with a bachelor’s degree in communications.
He previously served as the finance chairman for the Georgia Republican Party. Controversially, Still was involved as an “alternate elector” in the Trump alternate electors plot following the 2020 U.S. presidential election.
Charges
- Violation of the Georgia RICO Act
- Impersonating a public officer
- Forgery in the first degree
- False statements and writings
- Criminal attempt to commit filing false documents
- Forgery in the first degree
- False statements and writings
Stephen Lee
Lee is an American chaplain and former law enforcement officer. His career began in California as a police officer in the 1980s, and he later became a sergeant in the Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office. He also served as a special agent for the Naval Criminal Investigative Service.
In 1996, Lee founded Peace Officer Ministries Inc., where he was executive director until 2010. He has been involved in chaplain services, including leading a Lutheran church’s Quick Response Team from 2016 to 2018. Lee is an ordained pastor of the Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod and was on emeritus status as of 2023.
Lee visited the home of Georgia election worker Ruby Freeman, who had been falsely accused of election fraud. Lee’s actions included attempting to arrange a meeting between Freeman and Trump campaign workers, which led to Freeman being pressured to confess to false allegations of election fraud.
In 2022, Lee avoided testifying before a Fulton County special grand jury investigating election interference. However, he was indicted in Fulton County under the state RICO act.
Charges
- Violation of the Georgia RICO Act
- Criminal attempt to commit influencing witnesses
- Criminal attempt to commit influencing witnesses
- Conspiracy to commit solicitation of false statements and writings
- Influencing Witnesses
Harrision Floyd
Floyd, a former U.S. Marine and leader of the Black Voices for Trump group backgroudn includes, includes combat deployments in Iraq and roles such as machine gunner, combat marksmanship trainer, and martial arts instructor.
He completed a combined bachelor’s and master’s degree at George Washington University post-service. Politically, Floyd briefly ran for Georgia’s 7th congressional district in 2019 as a Republican and was known for a provocative campaign ad.
His indictment for charges including influencing a witness and conspiracy to commit solicitation of false statements, was specifically related to harassing a Georgia election worker.
Unique among the defendants, Floyd did not arrange for bond prior to his surrender, resulting in a short jail stay.
Charges
- Violation of the Georgia RICO Act
- Conspiracy to commit solicitation of false statements and writings
- Influencing Witnesses
Trevian Kutti
Kutti co-founded a luxury shoe store named G’Bani in Chicago in 1997 and later established Trevian Worldwide, a media and entertainment advisory company.
She has worked as a stylist for Regina King and as a publicist for R. Kelly and Kanye West. Kutti, who shifted her political support from Hillary Clinton to Donald Trump, registered as a lobbyist for a Canadian cannabis company in 2020 and managed Angela Stanton-King’s U.S. House campaign.
In 2021, she distanced herself from West and was listed as a member of Trump’s Young Black Leadership Council. Kutti was indicted for allegedly attempting to influence the testimony of election worker Ruby Freeman.
Charges
- Violation of the Georgia RICO Act
- Conspiracy to commit solicitation of false statements and writings
- Influencing Witnesses
Cathy Latham
Latham, a member of the Georgia Republican Party’s executive committee during the 2020 elections, was one of the “fake electors” who attempted to keep Donald Trump in power despite his electoral defeat.
In December 2020, Latham was a plaintiff in a lawsuit against Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, challenging absentee voting rules and alleging they facilitated ballot harvesting and vote fraud. This lawsuit was dismissed with prejudice.
Her attempt to move her RICO the case from state to federal court was rejected in September 2023, with an appeal following in October.
Charges
- Violation of the Georgia RICO Act
- Impersonating a public officer
- Forgery in the first degree
- False statements and writings
- Criminal attempt to commit filing false documents
- Conspiracy to commit election fraud
- Conspiracy to commit election fraud
- Conspiracy to commit computer theft
- Conspiracy to commit computer trespass
- Conspiracy to commit computer invasion of privacy
- Conspiracy to defraud the state
Scott Hall
Hall, a bail bondsman and linked to David Bossie, a Republican operative and Hall’s relative, was drawn into investigating the election for Trump.
He had a 63-minute phone call with Jeffrey Clark, a senior Justice Department official, which contributed to Clark’s efforts to challenge the election’s legitimacy. Hall was also involved with a group of Trump supporters who allegedly accessed sensitive election data in Coffee County, Georgia, and openly discussed their actions.
Plea Deal
Hall pleaded guilty to five counts of conspiracy to commit intentional interference with the performance of election duties.
Hall has agreed to 5 years of probation, a $5,000 fine, 200 hours of community service, and cooperation with the Fulton County DA’s Office.
Hall is under a gag order preventing him from speaking to the press.
Original Charges
- Violation of the Georgia RICO Act
- Conspiracy to commit election fraud
- Conspiracy to commit election fraud
- Conspiracy to commit computer theft
- Conspiracy to commit computer trespass
- Conspiracy to commit computer invasion of privacy
- Conspiracy to defraud the state
Misty Hampton
Misty Hampton was indicted for election interference including allegations that she permitted forensic experts to duplicate software and data from the county’s election equipment, which subsequently appeared on a file-sharing website.
Additionally, Hampton was recorded on video allowing two men, who disputed the 2020 election results, into the elections office. Her tenure as elections director ended in February 2021 following accusations of timesheet falsification.
Despite these issues, she was later employed to oversee a special election in Treutlen County, though it’s unclear if she again allowed unauthorized access to election servers.
Charges
- Violation of the Georgia RICO Act
- Conspiracy to commit election fraud
- Conspiracy to commit election fraud
- Conspiracy to commit computer theft
- Conspiracy to commit computer trespass
- Conspiracy to commit computer invasion of privacy
- Conspiracy to defraud the state
