Trump lawyer at center of election fraud case reaches plea deal

Sidney Powell agreed to testify against the former US President if asked by the prosecutor. Photo: ELIA NOUVELAGE/REUTERS

Donald Trump's former lawyer pleaded guilty on Thursday to aiding the former US president's efforts to overturn his 2020 election defeat in Georgia by agreeing to testify against him if called.

< p>Sidney Powell's confession, which resulted in her pleading guilty to six charges. conspiracy to intentionally interfere with election duties came just days before she was due to appear in court on Monday.

She also agreed to testify against Trump and other defendants in the case. if prosecutors ask her too.

Ms Powell was among a group of 19 people indicted in the Georgia case earlier this year, including Mr Trump and Rudy Giuliani, the prominent lawyer and former mayor New York.

Mr Trump and his allies are accused of working together in a coordinated attempt to illegally overturn the state's 2020 election results.

Prosecutors said Ms. Powell and the other defendants tampered with electronic voting markers and accessed data they owned. Dominion Voting Systems, the voting machine company that she and other Trump allies falsely claimed helped rig the election against Mr. Trump.

The lawyer will not face prison time, but she will have to serve six years of probation, write a letter of apology to the people of Georgia, pay a fine of US$6,000 (£4,900) and another US$2,700 directly to the state.

Sidney Powell is the first member of Trump's inner circle to plead guilty. Photo: AFP

Ms Powell is the second person to be charged in a plea deal after Scott Graham Hall, a bail bondsman who pleaded guilty in September.

But Ms Powell is the first member of Trump's inner circle of aides to plead guilty and agree to testify against his former colleagues.

She represented the former president after the 2020 vote and helped spread his false accusations. that the election was marred by widespread voter fraud.

'Release the Kraken'

Ms Powell famously threatened to “release the kraken,” a mythological sea monster, when talking about a lawsuit she planned to file to challenge the results of the presidential election.

Similar lawsuits she filed in several states were promptly dismissed.

Mr. Trump, for his part, has pleaded not guilty to the sweeping indictment in Fulton County, Georgia. , in which he was charged with violating the state's racketeer racketeering organizations, or RICO, attempt to overturn his loss to Joe Biden, the Democratic president.

Trial dates for the 16 remaining defendants, including the former mayor of New Mr. Giuliani's and Mark's York have not been identified. Meadows, who was Trump's White House chief of staff.