The US Department of Justice has launched a criminal probe into writer E. Jean Carroll concerning claims she committed perjury during a 2022 deposition in civil lawsuits against former President Donald Trump [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8]. The investigation focuses on whether Carroll falsely denied receiving outside financial support for her legal cases against Trump [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8].
Legal documents revealed billionaire LinkedIn co-founder Reid Hoffman helped cover part of Carroll's legal fees through a nonprofit organization [1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7]. Carroll filed two civil suits against Trump, one accusing him of sexual assault in a New York department store in the mid-1990s and another for defamation related to statements Trump made in 2019 [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8]. Juries found Trump liable in both cases, awarding Carroll $5 million for sexual assault damages in 2023 and $83.3 million for defamation in 2024 [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7]. Trump denies all claims, calling Carroll "totally lying" and stating "She’s not my type…it never happened," while appealing the judgments and seeking Supreme Court review [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 9, 7, 8].
The criminal investigation is said to be led by the US Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Illinois based in Chicago [1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7]. However, on May 28, Chicago US Attorney Andrew Boutros denied that his office has opened any criminal investigation into Carroll [10]. "The Chicago US Attorney’s Office can confirm that it has not opened – and has never opened – a criminal investigation into E. Jean Carroll," Boutros said [10]. This statement contrasts with multiple reports citing the DOJ investigation [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8].
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche has recused himself from the investigation because of his earlier role as Trump's personal attorney in Carroll's civil case [2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7]. In 2024, a federal appeals court rejected accusations that Carroll lied about outside funding; the court ruled she plausibly forgot about the limited financial support during her 2022 deposition [1, 2, 10, 7, 8].
The Trump administration previously drew criticism for politically charged investigations targeting its perceived opponents, including former FBI Director James Comey and Democratic lawmakers [2, 3, 5, 7, 8].
The total damages and interest Trump owes Carroll currently stand at $98.5 million after both cases [9]. The investigation is ongoing, with no official DOJ confirmation expected imminently beyond the conflicting statements from the Chicago US Attorney’s Office.
