Carlos De Oliveira, who served as a property manager at Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate, has denied attempting to erase security footage that federal investigators had sought. In a courtroom appearance in Fort Pierce on Tuesday, De Oliveira’s attorney, Donnie Murrell, entered the plea of not guilty on his behalf.
The charges against De Oliveira stem from a broader investigation into former President Trump’s alleged mishandling of classified documents post-presidency. De Oliveira responded briefly to Magistrate Judge Shaniek Mills Maynard during the hearing and refrained from commenting to the media outside the courtroom.
The case has spotlighted Trump’s alleged removal of classified materials from the White House and subsequent obstruction of federal attempts to reclaim them. Some of these records were later found at Trump’s Palm Beach resort, Mar-a-Lago. Another part of the indictment alleges Trump showcased classified documents at his Bedminster, New Jersey golf club.
In June, special counsel Jack Smith indicted Trump and his valet, Walt Nauta, regarding these classified documents. The charges expanded in July to encompass De Oliveira, alleging his involvement in the conspiracy to obstruct justice and making false statements to federal authorities.
Prosecutors assert that De Oliveira falsely claimed he had not witnessed the movement of classified document boxes within Mar-a-Lago. The indictment further alleges De Oliveira’s attempt to delete security footage at Trump’s behest following a subpoena for it in June 2022.
This footage, as per prosecutors, could be crucial evidence, potentially revealing Nauta’s attempts to conceal the documents from both federal agents and Trump’s legal team.
Trump, not new to legal challenges, faced another criminal indictment recently related to his actions surrounding the 2020 Georgia election results. He has dismissed the allegations, labeling them a politically-driven “witch hunt,” expressing his outrage on Truth Social by stating, “NOTHING LIKE THIS HAS EVER HAPPENED BEFORE. OUR COUNTRY CAN NEVER LET THIS STAND!”
