Donald Trump risks 40 years in prison if found guilty of latest charges
Trump's charges are mounting
Reuters
Donald Trump asked a staff member at his Florida resort to delete security camera footage in attempts to thwart federal investigators, prosecutors claim.
The new indictment adds to the mounting charges the former president is facing, now standing at 40 in total.
The prosecutors, in a 60-page filling submitted yesterday, accused Trump of an additional three counts.
If convicted, Trump could face an extra 40 years in prison.
The former president also asked two staff members to help with deleting the footage
Reuters
Trump has called the prosecutor “deranged” and denied any wrongdoing.
The property manager at his Mar-a-lago resort, Carlos De Oliveria, was also charged in the case, as well as Trump’s valet Walt Nauta.
Both were charged in an initial indictment on June 8 with conspiring to hide national security documents at the Florida resort.
The pair allegedly moved an estimated 30 boxes of classified documents into the Mar-a-Lago’s basement, on June 2, 2022.
The week prior, Nauta has been claimed to have passed an additional 64 boxes to the inspection of Trump’s attorney, at the former President's instruction.
Trump dismissed the charges and likened the case to a witch hunt.
Reuters
Trump’s attorney was not aware of the scheme, the indictment claims.
Federal agents spotted security cameras on the property, so sent Trump’s attorney a subpoena requiring that the footage be handed over.
On June 24, 2022, Trump called De Oliveria and instructed him to have the cameras wiped, prosecutors say.
The revised indictment now shows the alleged efforts between the pair to hide the evidence, which would obstruct the justice department’s investigation.
De Oliveria is alleged to have asked how to go about deleting the footage, reaching out to an IT worker at the resort.
The court documents claim that De Oliveria texted this employee stating that “the boss” wanted the server with all the footage on it to be deleted.
The pair later met in a private IT room, with De Oliveria telling the employee that their conversation should remain confidential.
He then pressured the man into carrying out his request, after the staff member initially refused, telling De Oliveria that he did not have the authority to do so, court documents allege.
After this exchange, De Oliveria met with Nauta twice on a neighbouring property.
The revised indictement also says that Trump revealed to biographers his possible plans to attack “Country A”, in 2021.
Media outlets have identified “Country A” as Iran.
The indictment included a transcript of Trump telling the writers: “As president, I could have declassified it. Now I can’t, you know, but this is still a secret.”
The former president dismissed the new charges in a statement in his 2024 presidential campaign.
He likened the case to a witch hunt.
The number of legal problems Trump faces continues to grow, as he simultaneously awaits trial for a hush-money case where he faces 34 felony counts.