CNN has reported that the witness referred to as “Trump Employee 4” in the classified documents indictment against former President Donald Trump has been identified as Yucil Taveras, Mar-a-Lago’s IT Director. The revelation was made during a segment on CNN News Central, where anchor Jim Sciutto shared the information.
According to the indictment, Trump, along with two employees, Walt Naruta and Mar-a-Lago property manager Carlos De Oliveira, allegedly attempted to alter, mutilate, and conceal evidence related to the deletion of security camera footage. De Oliveira has been added as a defendant in the case, and prosecutors argue that he informed the IT Director, identified as Yucil Taveras, that “The Boss” (presumably referring to Donald Trump) wanted the server deleted.
CNN’s Senior Legal Analyst, Elie Honig, discussed how prosecutors might use the testimony of “Trump Employee 4” in the case. Honig explained that while some of the allegations about tampering with surveillance video could be based on Taveras’s testimony about what he was told by De Oliveira, it involves multiple layers of hearsay, albeit admissible in court.
While the indictment appears to be strong, Honig acknowledged that it might not be entirely perfect due to the complexities involved in proving certain elements of the case. Nonetheless, the information provided by Yucil Taveras could be crucial in helping prosecutors build their case against Trump and the other defendants.
, “Prosecutors say Trump, along with two employees Walt Naruta and Mar-a-Lago property manager Carlos De Oliveira, tried to ‘alter, mutilate and conceal evidence’ after trying to delete security camera footage. Why? De Oliveira has been added to the case as a defendant now. Prosecutors argue he told the IT Director that, quote, ‘The Boss’ wanted that server deleted.”
Senior Legal Analyst Elie Honig explained in an earlier block on CNN News Central how prosecutors will use the testimony of “Trump Employee 4.”
“However, if we look at some of the allegations about the tampering with the surveillance video. The way they’re going to have to prove that is with testimony from this “Trump Employee Four” about what he was told by De Oliveira about what Donald Trump said — that’s admissible, but it’s a couple layers of hearsay, the admissible kind of hearsay. And so, not everything is locked in, but the indictment overall strikes me as quite strong, but it is not perfect,” Honig said.
