Yocel Taveras, a Mar-a-Lago employee who oversees the property’s security cameras, received a targeted letter from federal prosecutors after President Donald Trump He was He was first indicted in June on related fees His alleged mishandling of confidential documents Sources told CNN, after leaving office.
The sources said Taveras also met with investigators following the initial indictment in the classified documents case, which was overseen by special counsel Jack Smith.
While it is unclear whether Taveras is cooperating with prosecutors, some of the new allegations against Trump that are included in the It supersedes the indictment filed last week It was based, at least in part, on information he provided during that interview, CNN has learned.
Taveras’ lawyer previously declined to comment to CNN.
The updated indictment, which adds key charges against Trump and a new defendant to the case, refers to Taveras as “Trump Employee 4,” CNN reported previously.
Unlike Trump’s longtime valet Walt Naut and a Mar-a-Lago property manager and a new defendant Carlos de OliveiraTaveras is not currently facing charges in the classified documents case despite being informed that he is a target of the investigation.
But he is at the center of the new accusations that have been added to the indictment, including his exchange with him De Oliveira on June 27, 2022. In that conversation, de Oliveira asked to have a private discussion in an “audio locker” with Taveras, including asking how long the footage from the security tapes had been and whether it could be deleted.
When Taveras said “he didn’t know how to do it, and that he didn’t think he had the right to do it,” de Oliveira said “the principal” wanted to delete it, according to the indictment.
Smith’s team had previously heard testimony about strange conversations between Taveras, Nauta and de Oliveira regarding surveillance footage. Three people told CNN that the Washington grand jury, before moving the case entirely to South Florida, also heard testimony specifically related to de Oliveira’s unusual behavior toward the footage.
Trump and Nota pleaded not guilty.
After receiving the targeted letter, Taveras changed attorneys because his attorney, Stan Woodward, also represented Naota, which sparked a row, according to the sources.
This story has been updated with additional information.
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