Mar-a-Lago maintenance chief Carlos De Oliveira arrived in federal court in Miami on Monday to face conspiracy charges related to the investigation into former President Donald Trump’s classified documents.
He showed up in federal court for a hearing Monday morning, throwing a dour expression days after his name appeared in a superseding indictment that charged him, Trump and Trump aide Walt Nauta. of conspiring to remove images from hardware box servers at the private club in Florida. .
Little is known about the assistant, 56, although a neighbor said he was “not a crook”.
He faces four counts in the latest indictment, which has increased to 40 counts, including lying to investigators and “altering, destroying, mutilating or corruptly concealing any document, record or another object”, as well as the accusation of conspiracy.
At Monday’s hearing, an investigating judge will brief him on his rights and he is expected to plead not guilty.
He has worked at the club for a decade and was promoted to his position last year.
Carlos De Oliveira, personal assistant to former US President Donald Trump and maintenance manager at Mar-a-Lago, has arrived in federal court in Miami. He is charged with conspiracy to obstruct an investigation into classified documents
A superseding indictment filed last week by prosecutors accused him of conspiring to remove security footage from boxes of documents at Mar-a-Lago after a grand jury subpoena sought their return.
The indictment quotes him communicating with another club employee about the security footage at Mar-a-Lago and telling him that “the boss” wants it deleted.
His arrival in court came as Yuscil Taveras – the Mar-a-Lago IT manager mentioned in the indictment as having received the request – himself received a “target” letter, according to the new report.
The communication from federal prosecutors came after former President Donald Trump was indicted in June, CNN reported.
Trump himself received such a letter this month. It can signal the likelihood that someone is about to be charged as part of an investigation.
It is unclear whether Taveras is cooperating with prosecutors. But the replacement indictment filed last week by Special Counsel Jack Smith’s office refers to Mar-a-Lago’s IT manager, “Employee 4,” as wondering if he had ” the right” to erase security servers when presented with the idea.
Yuscil Taveras, Mar-a-Lago’s IT manager, received a ‘target’ letter from prosecutors, but has not been charged
Indictment quotes De Oliveira telling employee ‘boss’ wants server erased, for period after grand jury subpoena
Prosecutors appear to have obtained information via text messages about various club figures and cite indicted maintenance manager Carlos De Oliveira who made the request.
The indictment asks De Oliveira to question Employee 4 in a club audio closet and say that ‘the boss’ wanted the server ‘removed’ – in a likely reference to Trump, who took personal phone calls with De Oliveira.
“Trump employee 4 responded that he would not know how to do this and that he did not believe he would have the right to do so,” according to the indictment.
De Oliveira is accused along with former Trump aide and former White House valet Walt Nauta of conspiring to obstruct the FBI and a grand jury investigation probing the willful withholding of classified information.
Trump and Nauta have pleaded not guilty. De Oliveira is expected in court on Monday. Trump, who continues to top Republican presidential polls, has called all investigations against him a witch hunt.
Club maintenance manager Carlos De Oliveira is charged along with Trump and his assistant Waltine Nauta in a superseding indictment
Ty Cobb, who represented Trump when he was in the White House, said he expected Trump himself to be indicted in a separate case related to Trump’s election-cancellation effort this week. .
He said prosecutors were like artists and the latest indictment was like a “Michelangelo.”
“The new charges are very important,” he said. NPRand would soon be established in court.
Trump’s lawyers “have no defense” because most of the information is taped.
“The simple reality is he has to win to avoid going to jail,” Cobb said.
