Sidney Powell

Sidney Katherine Powell
Born:	May 1, 1955 Durham, North Carolina
Charges:	Conspiring to interfere with election duties (6 misdemeanor counts)
Sentence:	6 years probation, $6,000 fine
Facility:
Status:	Pardoned (federal), Guilty plea (Georgia state)

Sidney Katherine Powell (born May 1, 1955) is an American attorney and former federal prosecutor who gained national prominence for representing Michael Flynn and later for spreading baseless conspiracy theories about the 2020 presidential election, famously vowing to "release the Kraken" with evidence of fraud. On October 19, 2023, Powell pleaded guilty in Georgia to six misdemeanor counts of conspiring to intentionally interfere with the performance of election duties. She was sentenced to six years of probation, ordered to pay $6,000 in fines and $2,700 in restitution, and agreed to testify against her co-defendants in the Georgia election case. President Trump granted Powell a "full, complete, and unconditional" pardon on November 9, 2025, as part of a batch of 77 pardons to allies connected to 2020 election efforts. However, the pardon applies only to federal crimes and does not affect her Georgia conviction.

Summary

Sidney Powell's journey from respected federal prosecutor to convicted election conspirator represents one of the more dramatic falls in recent legal history. She was once the youngest federal prosecutor in the country, made her name prosecuting drug smugglers along the Texas-Mexico border, and later defended executives in the Enron scandal. Her 2014 book "Licensed to Lie" argued that prosecutorial misconduct was rampant in the Department of Justice.

Powell first gained national attention as the attorney for Michael Flynn, Trump's former National Security Advisor. She advised Flynn to withdraw his guilty plea to lying to federal investigators, arguing the prosecution was corrupt. Trump eventually pardoned Flynn in December 2020.

After the 2020 election, Powell became one of the most prominent figures pushing conspiracy theories about election fraud. At news conferences with Rudy Giuliani, she claimed without evidence that the election had been rigged by Venezuela, Cuba, the Clinton Foundation, George Soros, and antifa. She famously vowed to "release the Kraken"—a reference to a mythical sea monster—with devastating evidence of fraud that never materialized.

Her legal work during this period led to her downfall. In Georgia, she was indicted for her alleged role in an unauthorized breach of election equipment in Coffee County. Rather than face trial, she pleaded guilty just days before jury selection was to begin and agreed to cooperate with prosecutors.

Background

Early Life and Education

Sidney Katherine Powell was born on May 1, 1955, in Durham, North Carolina, and was raised in Raleigh. By her own account, she decided to become a lawyer at age 5 after watching "Perry Mason" on television.

Powell completed her bachelor's degree at the University of North Carolina in just 21 months and was accepted to UNC's law school at age 19 in 1974. She earned her Juris Doctor from the University of North Carolina School of Law.

Career as Federal Prosecutor

At age 23, Powell became an assistant U.S. attorney in San Antonio, making her what she has said was the youngest federal prosecutor in the country at the time. She formed an appellate section for the office.

Powell worked in the Western District of Texas for nearly a decade, prosecuting cases along the border. She was best known for prosecuting high-profile drug smuggler Jimmy Chagra.

Private Practice

After leaving the U.S. Attorney's office, Powell moved to the law firm Strasburger & Price in Dallas. In 1993, she established her own law firm, specializing in federal appellate litigation.

Enron Case

Powell gained prominence defending Merrill Lynch executives in proceedings related to the Enron scandal. The experience convinced her that prosecutorial misconduct was a widespread problem in the Department of Justice. In 2014, she published "Licensed to Lie: Exposing Corruption in the DOJ," which became a bestseller.

Michael Flynn Case

In 2019, Michael Flynn, Trump's former National Security Advisor, hired Powell to represent him after he had already pleaded guilty to lying to federal investigators about his contacts with Russian officials during the presidential transition.

Powell argued that Flynn was the victim of prosecutorial overreach and a corrupt intelligence community seeking to remove Trump from office. She advised Flynn to stop cooperating with Special Counsel Robert Mueller and to withdraw his guilty plea.

The Justice Department eventually moved to drop the case against Flynn, and Trump pardoned him in December 2020.

2020 Election Claims

"Release the Kraken"

After the 2020 presidential election, Powell became one of the most visible attorneys promoting claims of widespread election fraud. At a memorable November 2020 news conference at the Republican National Committee headquarters alongside Rudy Giuliani, Powell vowed to "release the Kraken"—a reference to a line from the movie "Clash of the Titans"—with evidence of election fraud.

Powell claimed without evidence that the election had been rigged through a vast conspiracy involving:

• Venezuela
• Cuba
• The Clinton Foundation
• Billionaire investor George Soros
• Antifa

Distancing by Trump Campaign

The claims became so outlandish that the Trump campaign publicly distanced itself from Powell, stating she was "not a member of the Trump Legal Team." Despite this, Powell continued filing lawsuits challenging the election results, all of which were rejected by courts.

Bar Disciplinary Actions

Powell's conduct led to disciplinary actions by multiple bar associations. Courts found that her election lawsuits were frivolous and filed in bad faith.

Georgia Indictment

Indictment

On August 14, 2023, a Fulton County, Georgia, grand jury indicted Powell alongside 18 others, including former President Trump, under state racketeering laws. The indictment alleged that Powell participated in a scheme to overturn the 2020 presidential election results in Georgia.

Coffee County Breach

Central to the charges against Powell was her alleged role in an unauthorized breach of election equipment in Coffee County, Georgia. Prosecutors said Powell had advised others that it was legal to access the election machines to gather evidence for lawsuits challenging the election results.

Guilty Plea

On October 19, 2023—just one day before jury selection in her trial was set to begin—Powell pleaded guilty to six misdemeanor counts of conspiring to intentionally interfere with the performance of election duties in Fulton County Superior Court.

Terms of Plea Deal

Under the plea agreement, Powell received:

• Six years of probation
• A $6,000 fine
• $2,700 in restitution to cover the cost of replacing the breached election equipment
• Requirement to write an apology letter to Georgia and its residents
• Agreement to testify truthfully at future hearings and trials against co-defendants

As a first-time offender, Powell did not face jail time.

Significance

Powell was the second of 19 co-defendants in the case to plead guilty, following bail bondsman Scott Hall. Her agreement to cooperate and testify against co-defendants was seen as a significant development in the case against Trump and other defendants.

Presidential Pardon

On November 9, 2025, President Trump granted Sidney Powell a "full, complete, and unconditional" pardon as part of a batch of 77 pardons issued to allies connected to 2020 election efforts.

Limited Effect

The pardon is largely symbolic because:

• Presidential pardons apply only to federal offenses
• Powell was never charged with federal crimes related to the 2020 election
• She had already pleaded guilty to state charges in Georgia
• Her state conviction and probation remain in effect

Georgia Case Dismissed

In November 2025, the Fulton County election interference case was dismissed after the prosecutor who took over the case requested that it be dropped, citing the time and resources required to continue.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What did Sidney Powell do?

Powell pleaded guilty to six misdemeanor counts of conspiring to intentionally interfere with the performance of election duties in Georgia. She was involved in an unauthorized breach of election equipment in Coffee County to search for evidence of fraud. She was also known for spreading baseless conspiracy theories about the 2020 election being rigged.

Q: Was Sidney Powell pardoned?

Yes, President Trump granted Powell a "full, complete, and unconditional" pardon on November 9, 2025, as part of 77 pardons for 2020 election allies. However, she had already pleaded guilty in Georgia state court in October 2023 and was serving six years of probation. Presidential pardons apply only to federal crimes.

Q: What was Sidney Powell's sentence?

Powell was sentenced to six years of probation, a $6,000 fine, and $2,700 in restitution to cover the cost of replacing breached election equipment. She was required to write an apology letter to Georgia and its residents. As a first-time offender, she did not face jail time. She also agreed to testify against co-defendants.

Q: Who is Sidney Powell?

Powell is an attorney who became famous for representing Michael Flynn and for spreading conspiracy theories about the 2020 election. She was once the youngest federal prosecutor in the country at age 23 and later defended executives in the Enron case. She vowed to "release the Kraken" with evidence of election fraud that never materialized.

Q: What was the "release the Kraken" claim?

Powell used "release the Kraken" to promise overwhelming evidence of election fraud involving Venezuela, Cuba, George Soros, and others. The phrase referenced "Clash of the Titans." Her promised evidence never materialized, and courts rejected her legal challenges. Multiple bar associations took disciplinary action against her.

See also

• Presidential Clemency and Pardons
• Mark Meadows