A former Justice Department prosecutor, Carmen Mercedes Lineberger of Florida, is charged in federal court after prosecutors say she emailed herself a copy of a sealed report from special counsel Jack Smith’s investigation involving Donald Trump’s handling of classified documents. According to the indictment unsealed Wednesday, Lineberger, who previously worked as a managing assistant U.S. attorney in the Southern District of Florida, sent the materials to her personal email account as an attached file with a misleading name meant to conceal the nature of the document. Multiple outlets report that prosecutors allege she altered the original file name to something associated with a dessert, including “Bundt_Cake_Recipe.pdf” and “Chocolate_cake_recipe.pdf.”
Authorities also say the material she sent was covered by a court order keeping it sealed and unreleased. The charging documents describe additional allegations that she concealed her actions by changing file names and attempting to disguise the contents. Lineberger faces multiple counts, including theft of government property or money and charges related to altering or concealing the documents. She has pleaded not guilty, according to reporting summarized by The Hill.
