Former Florida Prosecutor Indicted Over Alleged Leaked Sealed Records

A former federal prosecutor in Florida has been indicted on charges of stealing and transmitting sealed government records, including a confidential report from the special counsel investigation into former President Donald Trump’s handling of classified documents. Carmen Mercedes Lineberger, 62, pleaded not guilty to the charges in federal court in West Palm Beach on Wednesday.

Lineberger, who served as the managing assistant U.S. attorney in the Fort Pierce branch of the Southern District of Florida, faces multiple counts including theft of government property, destruction or falsification of records, and concealment or removal of public records. The indictment alleges that in late 2025, while serving in her official capacity, she accessed sensitive Justice Department records and emailed them to her personal accounts.

Prosecutors say Lineberger attempted to conceal her actions by renaming the files with misleading titles before transmission. In one instance, she allegedly compiled portions of internal DOJ messages and a memorandum and sent them via an attachment titled "chocolate cake recipe." In a separate alleged incident in December 2025, she is accused of accessing a...