A former U.S. Justice Department prosecutor now faces serious federal charges after authorities accused her of secretly sending herself sealed files linked to investigations into President Donald Trump. Federal prosecutors said Carmen Mercedes Lineberger emailed a confidential report from her government account to her personal email. Investigators also claim she tried to hide the file by renaming it as a cake recipe. The case has raised fresh questions about the handling of sensitive government records tied to high-profile Trump investigations. According to court documents, Lineberger worked as a managing assistant US attorney in Florida. Prosecutors said she handled a sealed internal report connected to a federal criminal investigation in early 2025. Authorities allege that she later sent the document to her personal email account in December 2025. The report was reportedly filed in the US district court for the southern district of Florida, where she worked at the time. Federal officials said the document was protected under a court order and was not allowed to be shared publicly. Investigators also accused Lineberger of trying to hide the file after downloading it onto a government computer. Prosecutors said she renamed the document “Bundt_Cake_Recipe.pdf” in an effort to avoid detection. The indictment includes two counts of theft of government property. It also contains charges linked to altering and hiding official records. If convicted, Lineberger could face up to 25 years in prison. The indictment did not fully explain the contents of the report. However, it described the document as sealed under an order issued by US district judge Aileen M. Cannon. Judge Cannon had earlier blocked former special counsel Jack Smith from publicly discussing findings connected to his investigation into Trump’s handling of classified White House documents after his first term ended. Smith also led a separate federal investigation into efforts to challenge the results of the 2020 US presidential election. Both federal cases against Donald Trump were later dropped after Trump returned to office for a second term. Longstanding Justice Department policy prevents criminal prosecution of sitting presidents. The investigations had drawn major public attention across the United States. Trump repeatedly denied wrongdoing and criticized the cases as politically motivated. In January, federal prosecutors strongly criticized Smith’s final report in a court filing. They argued that the investigation should never have happened. The filing described the report as the product of what prosecutors called an unlawful investigation. The statement added that the report belonged “in the dustbin of history”. At the same time, several legal advocacy groups have continued pushing for the report to become public. They have filed appeals in court seeking to unseal the document. So far, prosecutors have not explained why Lineberger allegedly sent the report to herself. Court records also do not show whether the document was shared with anyone else outside the Justice Department. The case is now expected to move through federal court in Florida. Legal experts say the charges are serious because they involve sensitive government records linked to nationally important investigations. Cases involving sealed federal documents often receive strict scrutiny due to concerns about public trust and national security. The investigation also comes as the political debate around Trump-era legal cases remains intense across the country. Federal authorities have not announced a trial date yet. More court hearings are expected in the coming months as prosecutors continue to present evidence in the case. The Justice Department has not released additional public comments beyond the indictment. Lineberger has also not publicly responded to the charges at this stage. The case adds another legal chapter to the continuing fallout surrounding investigations connected to Trump and former special counsel Jack Smith.