The U.S. Justice Department has opened an investigation into former magazine writer E. Jean Carroll, multiple news media outlets reported Wednesday.
The investigation is believed to be focused on whether Carroll committed perjury in testimony related to two civil lawsuits against Trump.
One related to her allegations that Trump sexually assaulted her in a New York City department store in the 1990s. The second is when he sued him for defamation in 2019.
In 2023, a jury found Trump liable for sexual assault, but not liable for rape. Another jury in 2024 found that Trump had defamed Carroll by dismissing his claims during his first term and ordered him to pay $83 million in damages.
CNN first reported the DOJ investigation.
Justice Department opens criminal investigation against E. Jean Carroll
The investigation, reportedly led by the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Chicago, will not necessarily lead to charges against Carroll.
Over the past year, the Trump administration has used a number of government powers to launch criminal investigations of alleged enemies of the president.
Reuters reported that prosecutors’ move is based on the former Elle magazine columnist’s 2022 statement that he received no outside funding for his trial.
Her lawyers later revealed that LinkedIn’s billionaire co-founder Reid Hoffman had paid some of her legal bills.
Media outlets reported that Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche recused himself from the Justice Department investigation because he had served as one of Trump’s personal lawyers in Carroll’s civil case.
Don’t let algorithms hide news. If you rely on our team for reliable reporting, please take a moment Choose us as your preferred source on Google by clicking here And press the “Star” or “Favorite” button so you always see our verified news first.
Edited by: Shawn Sinico