Special Counsel Investigates False Testimony from Trump Employees in Criminal Probe at Mar-a-Lago
In a recent court filing, prosecutors revealed that Special Counsel Jack Smith’s office is continuing its investigation into whether two employees of former President Donald Trump gave false testimony to a grand jury. The investigation is part of the criminal probe into Trump’s retention of classified documents at his Mar-a-Lago resort.
The filing provides the most direct explanation of how prosecutors obtained the information used in the superseding indictment. Prosecutors allege that Yuscil Taveras, an IT worker who has not been charged, and Carlos De Oliveira, the property manager of Mar-a-Lago charged alongside Trump, gave false testimony about alleged efforts to delete incriminating security camera footage from the Florida club.
Taveras, referred to as “Trump Employee 4” in court documents, repeatedly denied or claimed not to recall any contacts or conversations about the security footage at Mar-a-Lago, despite evidence suggesting otherwise. De Oliveira allegedly told prosecutors the same. However, after switching lawyers, Taveras changed his story about the efforts by Trump, De Oliveira, and their co-defendant, Walt Nauta, to delete security footage.
Both Taveras and De Oliveira are now being investigated for their earlier statements, according to the filing. De Oliveira and Nauta, Trump’s aide, are charged with making false statements about whether they saw boxes containing classified documents being moved around Mar-a-Lago during voluntary interviews with the FBI. All three individuals have pleaded not guilty.
The filing was part of a dispute between prosecutors and Nauta’s attorney over a conflict of interest in Nauta’s representation. Prosecutors have informed the court that Nauta’s attorney has represented two witnesses who are likely to testify in the eventual trial. The conflict arises from Stanley Woodward, the attorney who previously represented both Taveras and Nauta. Prosecutors argued that if Taveras amended his testimony about the security footage deletion efforts, it could incriminate Nauta.
When Taveras was advised of the conflict, he switched to a public defender, and prosecutors allege that this is when he changed his story. Many of the details provided by Taveras were used in the superseding indictment, and if he were to testify at trial, he would be cross-examined by his former lawyer.
Woodward, Nauta’s attorney, pushed back on prosecutors’ allegations of a conflict in a court filing last week, suggesting a narrower approach to dealing with the issue. He declined to comment on the matter to CNN.
The investigation into false testimony from Trump’s employees adds another layer to the criminal probe into the former president’s actions at Mar-a-Lago and his retention of classified documents. As the investigation continues, further revelations may shed light on the extent of potential wrongdoing during Trump’s time in office.