ATLANTA - Donald Trump’s former chief of staff Mark Meadows surrendered to Atlanta authorities on charges that he conspired to keep his ex-boss in office after he lost the 2020 presidential election.

Meadows, who was at Trump’s side for weeks as he took steps to reverse his defeat by Joe Biden, was booked at the Fulton County Jail on Thursday, hours after he agreed to a US$100,000 (S$130,000) bond to remain free pending trial.

Meadows is the latest of the 19 defendants to surrender following the Aug 14 indictment, which was brought by Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis after a two-year probe.

She alleges the group violated Georgia’s racketeering law and other statutes by conspiring to overturn the election.

Trump reached a US$200,000 bond agreement and said he would turn himself in on Thursday.

Longtime Trump lawyer Rudy Giuliani, another defendant, agreed to a US$150,000 bond and turned himself in Aug 23.

Meadows’ bond deal comes after a federal judge on Aug 23 denied his request for an order barring Ms Willis from seeking his arrest if he failed to turn himself in. Meadows had argued that he shouldn’t be subject to arrest by state authorities while he seeks to move his case to federal court. A hearing on that request is set for Monday in federal court in Atlanta.

Trump’s former chief of staff argues that he’s immune from the state charges because he was an employee of the federal government during the alleged misconduct, which includes setting up phone calls for Trump to pressure state officials. His argument has emerged as the biggest challenge so far to the Georgia indictment. BLOOMBERG