Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis is using Georgia’s Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) statute in the charges against former President Donald Trump and his allies.
Explaining RICO: Georgia’s RICO statute is based on federal law and allows prosecutors to pursue criminal enterprises, extending beyond typical organized crime activities like money laundering and drug trafficking.
* Georgia’s version specifies that even attempts at or soliciting these crimes count as a predicate act.
A history of RICO: DA Fani Willis is known for using RICO, having employed it in cases such as a gang allegedly targeting celebrities in a robbery ring and a group of Atlanta educators in a widespread cheating scandal.
* “RICO is a tool that allows a prosecutor’s office and law enforcement to tell the whole story,” Willis said.
Present charges: Willis is currently using the RICO charge in alleged cases of election interference.
* She is also prosecuting Atlanta-based hip hop artist Young Thug and others, labeling his record label a criminal organization.
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