MIAMI: An aide to former US President Donald Trump appeared in Miami federal court on Monday to face charges he tried to help the former president hide secret documents taken upon leaving office.

Carlos De Oliveira, the property manager of Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Florida, did not enter a plea as he has yet to obtain local counsel.

US Magistrate Judge Edwin Torres scheduled his arraignment for Aug 10 and ordered De Oliveira not to talk to other defendants about the case. He was released on a $100,000 bond.

De Oliveira is accused of trying to delete security camera footage and lying to investigators. He is charged with four counts, including obstruction of justice.

Prosecutors first charged Trump and his aide Walt Nauta in the case in June, alleging Trump haphazardly stored hundreds of classified documents at his Mar-a-Lago home and enlisted staff to hide them from investigators.

Published in Dawn, August 1st, 2023