Justice Department Launches Criminal Probe Into E. Jean Carroll
The Justice Department has initiated a criminal investigation into E. Jean Carroll, the writer who accused US President Donald Trump of rape in the mid-1990s, according to a source familiar with the matter on Wednesday.
The probe is centered around whether Carroll perjured herself in testimony related to two civil lawsuits she won against Trump – one over sexual abuse allegations in a New York department store and another for defamation in 2019. The source, who wished to remain anonymous due to the ongoing investigation, told CNN about this development.
The Chicago US Attorney’s Office is leading the probe, which may not necessarily result in charges being filed against Carroll. Both the Department and Carroll’s lawyer, Robbie Kaplan, declined to comment on the matter.
Since last year, Trump’s Justice Department has been investigating various individuals who have antagonized him, resulting in some criminal charges. This latest move by prosecutors is based on a 2022 deposition statement from Carroll that she received no outside funding for her lawsuit. However, it was later revealed that Reid Hoffman, the billionaire co-founder of LinkedIn, had paid some of her legal bills.
In May 2023, a jury found Trump guilty of sexual assault and defamation but not rape. In January 2024, another jury ordered him to pay $83.3 million in damages for defamation. Trump has consistently denied all wrongdoing and is still involved in legal battles with Carroll. Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, who has been quick to carry out Trump’s demands since taking over from his predecessor Pam Bondi, has recused himself as he worked as one of Trump’s personal attorneys on the Carroll appeals.