US Justice Department opens perjury probe into E Jean Carroll over lawsuit funding
The US Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Illinois leads the investigation, while Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche is recused from the matter.
The US Department of Justice has initiated a criminal investigation into writer E Jean Carroll, focusing on allegations that she committed perjury regarding the funding sources for her civil lawsuits against President Donald Trump. The inquiry, led by the US Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Illinois, examines whether Carroll falsely claimed she received no outside financial support for her legal proceedings.
The investigation follows a 2024 ruling by the US Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, which determined that Carroll had "plausibly represented" she had forgotten about limited outside funding rather than having lied outright. Legal documents revealed that LinkedIn co-founder Reid Hoffman contributed to Carroll’s legal fees and expenses, a fact that was disclosed during the appeal process.
Carroll, a former magazine columnist, accused Trump of sexual assault and defamation, securing two civil judgements against the former president. In 2023, a jury found Trump liable for sexual assault and defamation, awarding Carroll $5 million. A second lawsuit in 2024 found Trump liable for defamation regarding comments made in 2019, resulting in an award of $83 million.
Both civil judgements were upheld on appeal, although Trump has petitioned the US Supreme Court to overturn the initial judgement. Trump has consistently denied the accusations of sexual assault and has vowed to appeal the second case as well. The new criminal probe centres on Carroll’s 2022 deposition, where she stated she received no outside funding for her civil lawsuit against Trump.
The jurisdiction of the Northern District of Illinois appears linked to Hoffman’s non-profit organisation, which is based in Chicago. Acting US Attorney General Todd Blanche has been recused from the case, having personally represented Trump in the appeal proceedings against Carroll. Since returning to office, Trump has repeatedly called for the Department of Justice to prosecute his political adversaries.
