DOJ launches criminal probe into E. Jean Carroll, source says

2026-05-28 01:40:48 UTC / Reuters

DOJ launches criminal probe into E. Jean Carroll, source says

By Andrew Goudsward

May 28, 2026 1:40 AM UTC Updated 1 hour ago

Writer E. Jean Carroll leaves the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, where former U.S. President Donald Trump is asking a federal appeals court to overturn a $5 million jury verdict finding him liable for sexually assaulting and defaming her, who accused Trump of raping her nearly three decades ago, in Manhattan, New York, U.S.,… Purchase Licensing Rights, opens new tabRead more

• Probe centers on alleged perjury in Carroll’s civil case testimony, source says
• Investigation centers on Carroll’s claim of no outside funding, source says
• Her lawyers later said LinkedIn’s Hoffman ​paid some legal bills
• Probe may not result in charges

WASHINGTON, May 27 (Reuters) – The ‌Justice Department has launched a criminal investigation into E. Jean Carroll, the writer who accused U.S. President Donald Trump of raping her in the mid-1990s, a source familiar with the matter said ​on Wednesday.

The probe is focused on whether Carroll committed perjury in testimony tied ​to two civil lawsuits that she won against Trump – one tied ⁠to her allegations that he sexually abused her in a New York department store and ​another over defamation in 2019, said the source, who requested anonymity to discuss an ongoing investigation.

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CNN ​first reported the development.

The launch of a probe, which is being led by the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Chicago, may not necessarily result in charges being brought against Carroll.

The department and Carroll’s lawyer ​Robbie Kaplan did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Since last year, Trump’s Justice ​Department has pursued a slew of investigations against the president’s antagonists and has brought criminal charges ‌in some ⁠cases.

The source said the prosecutors’ move is based on a 2022 deposition statement by the former Elle magazine columnist that she received no outside funding for her lawsuit. Her lawyers later revealed that Reid Hoffman, the billionaire co-founder of LinkedIn, had paid some ​of her legal bills.

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A ​jury found in ⁠May 2023 that Trump had sexually assaulted Carroll, and defamed her by lying, but did not rape her. Another jury in ​January 2024 found that he had defamed her and ordered him ​to pay $83.3 ⁠million in damages.

Trump has denied all wrongdoing and is still in legal battles with Carroll.

Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, who has moved quickly to carry out Trump’s demands since taking ⁠over ​from his predecessor Pam Bondi, has been recused from ​the department’s investigation as he worked as one of Trump’s personal attorneys on the Carroll appeals, the source ​added.

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Reporting by Andrew Goudsward, writing by Bhargav Acharya; Editing by Don Durfee and Edwina Gibbs

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