The Department of Justice has initiated a criminal investigation into E. Jean Carroll, the writer who accused President Trump of sexual assault, focusing on whether she committed perjury during a deposition in her civil lawsuits, multiple outlets reported Wednesday.
According to CNN, which first broke the story, federal prosecutors are zeroing in on Carroll’s 2022 deposition where she told Trump’s then-attorney Alina Habba that she received no external financial support for her legal battle. However, just two weeks before trial, Carroll’s legal team disclosed to the court and Trump’s lawyers that a nonprofit tied to LinkedIn co-founder Reid Hoffman had covered some of her legal fees and expenses.
Hoffman, a major Democratic donor, has poured millions into progressive causes and campaigns. The timing of the disclosure has raised questions about whether Carroll misled the court, a potential perjury offense that could carry serious penalties.
The Hill has reached out to the DOJ for comment. Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, who stepped into the role in April after Trump dismissed former Attorney General Pam Bondi, is recused from the Carroll investigation, per CNN. Blanche previously served as one of Trump’s personal attorneys on the appeals in the same cases.
Carroll first went public in 2019 with allegations that Trump sexually assaulted her in a Manhattan department store in the mid-1990s. After Trump denied the claims, she sued him for defamation. She filed a second lawsuit in 2022, adding a battery claim and accusing Trump of further defamation in a statement that year.
Two separate juries awarded Carroll a combined $88.3 million in damages, finding Trump liable for sexual abuse and defamation. Trump has appealed both verdicts, and a federal appeals court recently allowed him to delay payment of the $83.3 million defamation judgment while the Supreme Court considers whether to hear the case. Both appeals are now pending before the high court.
The investigation adds a new legal dimension to a case that has already drawn intense political scrutiny. Critics argue the probe could be seen as retaliation against a Trump accuser, while supporters say it reflects a legitimate concern about courtroom honesty. For context, this is not the first time Trump’s legal matters have intersected with federal oversight; earlier this year, former judges urged the court to probe Trump’s IRS settlement and a $1.78 billion fund, though that inquiry remains separate.
Carroll’s attorney has not commented publicly on the DOJ probe. The case continues to unfold as Trump navigates multiple legal fronts, including appeals in the Carroll matter and ongoing discussions over foreign policy, such as Zelensky’s push for Patriot interceptors to counter Russian ballistic missiles, which dominated a recent Cabinet meeting where Iran talks and Ebola screenings were also on the agenda.
