A former federal prosecutor faces up to 20 years in prison after allegedly stealing a court-sealed report on Trump’s classified documents case and emailing it to herself under fake file names disguised as cake recipes.

Federal Charges Detail Elaborate Concealment Scheme

Carmen Lineberger, 62, who served as Managing Assistant U.S. Attorney in Fort Pierce, Florida, was indicted on four felony counts including theft of government property, destruction of records in federal investigations, and concealment of public documents. Federal prosecutors allege she stole Special Counsel Jack Smith’s report on the Trump classified documents investigation, which Judge Aileen Cannon had ordered to remain sealed and prohibited from distribution outside the Department of Justice.

The indictment reveals Lineberger renamed government files as “chocolate cake recipe” and “bundt cake recipe” before transmitting them to her personal email accounts in late 2025. She allegedly sent the sealed report knowing her actions directly violated the court order and would impair the proper administration of the underlying criminal prosecution. The stolen materials included internal DOJ electronic messages, an internal memorandum, and the court-sealed report itself.

Not Guilty Plea Despite Maximum 20-Year Sentence

Lineberger appeared before Chief U.S. Magistrate Judge William Matthewman in West Palm Beach, Florida, where she pleaded not guilty to all charges. If convicted, she faces maximum sentences of 20 years for destruction of federal investigation records, three years for concealment of public records, and one year on each of two theft counts. The FBI and Department of Justice Office of Inspector General are jointly investigating the case. A special prosecutor from the Northern District of Florida was assigned to avoid conflicts of interest.

Judge Cannon Previously Blocked Report Release

In February, Judge Cannon permanently blocked the release of Jack Smith’s report on the classified documents case against President Trump. The judge, appointed by Trump, sharply criticized Smith for compiling the report after she dismissed the case, calling it a concerning breach or outright violation of her dismissal order. Cannon noted that Smith’s team proceeded for months preparing the report using discovery from the dismissed case and expending government funds despite her ruling. The case highlights ongoing tensions over Special Counsel investigations and judicial oversight of prosecutorial conduct.