The Justice Department has ordered federal prosecutors to draft plans for a criminal investigation into the Open Society Foundations.
The foundation is funded by billionaire Democratic donor George Soros.
The directive instructs U.S. attorneys in New York, California, Washington, D.C., Chicago, Detroit, and Maryland to prepare investigative strategies.
Potential charges listed include racketeering, arson, wire fraud, and material support of terrorism, according to The New York Times.
President Donald Trump has publicly demanded that Soros face criminal charges.
The president intensified criticism after the killing of conservative activist Charlie Kirk in Utah this month.
At a rally, he threatened to use government levers to “go after” donors to progressive groups, specifically naming Soros.
The Open Society Foundations was originally created to fund democratic initiatives in communist and post-communist countries.
In the 1990s, the foundation expanded its reach to the U.S., providing grants to organizations supporting civil rights, democracy, and social justice.
Conservatives argue that the foundation also backs unrest, violent protests, and property destruction, according to the Conservative Brief.
Todd Blanche’s office, on Monday, sent a memo to federal prosecutors detailing the investigative strategies.
The order was signed by Aakash Singh, a Justice Department lawyer coordinating between the deputy attorney