Key Takeaways
- The U.S. Justice Department has opened a criminal investigation into writer E Jean Carroll, focusing on possible perjury in her testimony from two civil lawsuits against former President Donald Trump.
- The probe, led by the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Chicago, stems from a 2022 deposition in which Carroll said she received no outside funding for her case—a claim later contradicted by revelations that LinkedIn co‑founder Reid Hoffman helped cover some of her legal bills.
- Carroll won two civil judgments against Trump: a May 2023 jury found he sexually assaulted and defamed her (but did not rape her), and a January 2024 jury ordered him to pay $83.3 million for additional defamation.
- The investigation fits a broader pattern of the Trump‑aligned Justice Department pursuing criminal probes against the president’s critics.
- Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche has recused himself from the matter because he previously served as one of Trump’s personal attorneys on the Carroll appeals.
- While the inquiry may not result in charges, it underscores the ongoing legal entanglements between Carroll and Trump and highlights the politicized nature of recent DOJ actions.
Overview of the Criminal Investigation
The U.S. Justice Department has launched a criminal investigation into E Jean Carroll, the advice columnist who accused former President Donald Trump of raping her in the mid‑1990s. According to a source familiar with the probe, the inquiry is being led by the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Chicago and centers on whether Carroll committed perjury during testimony linked to two civil lawsuits she won against Trump. The source, who requested anonymity, emphasized that the launch of a probe does not automatically mean charges will be filed; rather, investigators are examining the truthfulness of statements made under oath. Neither the Justice Department nor Carroll’s attorney, Robbie Kaplan, has issued an immediate comment on the matter.
Perjury Allegations and the Two Civil Lawsuits
The perjury focus concerns Carroll’s sworn statements in two separate civil actions. The first lawsuit alleged that Trump sexually abused her in a Bergdorf Goodman department store in the 1990s. The second lawsuit, filed in 2019, claimed that Trump defamed her by denying the assault and calling her a liar. In both cases, Carroll testified under oath about the events and about the financing of her legal effort. Prosecutors are scrutinizing whether she knowingly provided false information when she stated that she had not received any external financial support for the litigation.
Outcomes of the Civil Litigation
In May 2023, a federal jury found that Trump had sexually assaulted Carroll and had defamed her by lying, although it did not find that he raped her. The verdict awarded Carroll $5 million in compensatory damages and $2 million in punitive damages. A second jury, convened in January 2024, concluded that Trump had defamed her again and ordered him to pay $83.3 million (approximately $116.9 million) in damages. Trump has consistently denied all wrongdoing and continues to contest the judgments through appeals. These civil victories form the backdrop against which the criminal perjury inquiry is now being examined.
The 2022 Deposition and Reid Hoffman’s Funding
The source told investigators that the impetus for the probe was a deposition Carroll gave in 2022, in which she asserted that she had received no outside funding for her lawsuit against Trump. Subsequently, Carroll’s legal team disclosed that Reid Hoffman, the billionaire co‑founder of LinkedIn, had contributed to covering some of her litigation expenses. This revelation created a direct contradiction between Carroll’s sworn testimony and the later disclosed financial support, providing prosecutors with a concrete basis to explore whether her statement constituted perjury.
Context of Trump‑Era DOJ Investigations
The Carroll probe fits within a wider pattern observed since the start of the Trump administration: the Department of Justice, under officials loyal to the former president, has initiated numerous investigations against his political adversaries and critics. In several instances, those probes have led to criminal charges, raising concerns among watchdog groups about the potential politicization of law enforcement. The source noted that the current move against Carroll appears to be part of that same strategic effort to scrutinize individuals who have challenged Trump legally or publicly.
Role of Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche has recused himself from the Carroll investigation. The source indicated that Blanche’s prior work as one of Trump’s personal attorneys on the appeals related to the Carroll cases creates a clear conflict of interest. His recusal is intended to preserve the integrity of the probe and to avoid any appearance of bias, especially given the heightened scrutiny surrounding DOJ actions that may favor the former president.
Potential Implications and Next Steps
At this stage, the investigation remains fact‑finding, and no indictment has been announced. If prosecutors determine that Carroll knowingly lied under oath about her funding, they could pursue perjury charges, which carry penalties including fines and imprisonment. Conversely, if the evidence shows her statements were made in good faith or that any discrepancies were inadvertent, the probe may conclude without charges. Regardless of the outcome, the case will likely continue to fuel debate over the intersection of high‑profile defamation litigation, political retaliation, and the impartiality of federal law enforcement agencies. The forthcoming months will reveal whether the Justice Department moves forward with formal accusations or closes the inquiry, but the matter already underscores the enduring legal and cultural clash between E Jean Carroll and Donald Trump.