A looming fourth indictment against former US President Donald Trump may see Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis invoke Georgia's RICO Act and hit Trump with racketeering charges over his alleged efforts to interfere in the state's 2020 election results.
The state-level act echos much of the federal Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act of 1970, which has largely been used to take down organized crime entities involving mob connections and cartel groups.
Legal scholars noted Willis may utilize the state's RICO Act as she has a proven success rate in such cases, and because it would allow her to connect various instances in which Trump associates across the US attempted to keep the one-time president in office.
Additionally, officials pointed out that Willis early on in her investigation retained John Floyd, who is known as a leading expert on racketeering offenses.
"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.
The impending grand jury proceedings, scheduled to convene within the next two weeks, will decide whether criminal charges are warranted against Trump and his GOP allies.