Latest Update: 10/24/2023

In a sweeping criminal case centered around efforts to subvert the 2020 presidential election results in Georgia, former President Donald Trump and eighteen co-defendants, including his Chief-of-Staff Mark Meadows, and attorneys Rudy Giuliani and John Eastman, were indicted on 13 counts under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act on August 14, 2023. This indictment, following a meticulous years-long investigation led by Fulton County Georgia District Attorney Fani Willis, reflects allegations of a multifaceted scheme to overturn the will of Georgia voters and invalidate the election's outcome.

Among these co-defendants, several have already pleaded guilty in connection with the case, including Jenna Ellis, Sidney Powell, Kenneth Chesebro, and Atlanta bail bondsman Scott Hall. These guilty pleas mark significant developments in the ongoing legal proceedings, with Ellis, Powell, and others agreeing to provide evidence and testimony that could impact the remaining defendants, including Donald Trump, set to face trial in March 2024.

Jenna Ellis

Jenna Ellis, a former lawyer for Donald Trump's 2020 campaign, has pleaded guilty to conspiring to overturn Trump's 2020 election loss in Georgia. This marks the first time a senior Trump aide has admitted to making false claims about the election and being held criminally accountable. Ellis agreed to three to five years of probation, 100 hours of community service, a $5,000 restitution payment, and writing an apology letter to Georgia as part of her plea deal. She worked closely with Rudy Giuliani, another defendant in the case, and is the fourth Trump co-defendant to plead guilty, potentially providing evidence and agreeing to testify in future trials.

Ellis's role included making false election fraud claims and traveling with Giuliani to key states to urge lawmakers to reject popular vote results. She also drafted memos for Trump on how Vice President Mike Pence could reverse the election outcome. In court, she admitted that her actions were driven by "selfish" motives and had undermined public confidence in the election. Despite her past association with Trump, Ellis has distanced herself from him, expressing skepticism about supporting his potential 2024 nomination bid.

Watch Jenna Ellis Pleads Guilty

Kenneth Chesebro

Kenneth Chesebro, an attorney linked to the Trump campaign's false electors plot, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit filing false documents in the Georgia election subversion case. Chesebro's plea deal includes five years of probation, a $5,000 restitution payment, and a commitment to testify in future trials. Sidney Powell, another former Trump campaign lawyer, had previously pleaded guilty and agreed to cooperate with prosecutors.

Chesebro confessed to conspiring with Trump, Rudy Giuliani, and John Eastman to present fake GOP electors in Georgia and other states. Initially facing seven charges, he had six of them dropped as part of the plea agreement. Powell's willingness to testify may pose challenges to Trump's defense. The federal trial for Trump's election subversion case is set for March 2024 in Washington, D.C. Jury selection began but ended abruptly after Chesebro's plea.

Watch Kenneth Chesebro Pleads Guilty

Sidney Powell

Sidney Powell, who previously worked for Donald Trump during the 2020 presidential election, surprised many by pleading guilty to six criminal counts of conspiracy to commit interference with election duties. These charges were part of an indictment that included racketeering and six other felony counts. Powell confessed to her involvement in a plot to unlawfully access secure election machines in Georgia. In a significant development, she agreed to provide testimony against Trump and other co-defendants if prosecutors request it as part of her plea deal.

Powell had initially faced seven felony counts related to her role in the voting machine hacking scandal, primarily in Coffee County, GA, among other locations. She was among the 19 defendants named in the 41-count Fulton County, Georgia election interference indictment. This makes her the second defendant in the case to plead guilty, following Scott Hall, who also admitted to participating in the illegal voting machine hacking in Coffee County.

As a consequence of her guilty plea, Powell was sentenced to six years of probation. Additionally, she must issue a written apology to the citizens of Georgia and pay $2,700 in restitution to the state to assist in repairing tampered voting machines, along with an extra $6,000 fine.

Watch Sidney Powell Pleads Guilty

Scott Hall

Scott Hall, a bail bondsman from Atlanta, has become the first defendant in the Fulton County, Georgia election interference case to plead guilty. He was initially charged with seven counts in the 41-count indictment, alongside 18 other defendants, including Donald Trump. Hall pleaded guilty to five counts of conspiracy to commit intentional interference with the performance of election duties. As part of his sentence, he received five years of probation, a $5,000 fine, and 200 hours of community service, along with a requirement to write an apology letter to all Georgia citizens for his actions.

Hall's involvement included assisting in voting machine breaches in Coffee County, where he admitted to scanning every ballot and imaging every hard drive, actions that were captured on videos from the operation.

Watch Scott Hall Pleads Guilty