Published by TrenBuzz.com | May 28, 2026
Key Points at a Glance – DOJ Launches Perjury Probe Into E. Jean Carroll
- The Justice Department has opened a criminal investigation into E. Jean Carroll, 82, for alleged perjury.
- Prosecutors are examining a 2022 deposition where Carroll stated no outside party was funding her lawsuit.
- Billionaire Reid Hoffman later acknowledged paying some of Carroll’s legal fees and expenses.
- The probe is being led out of the US Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Illinois.
- Carroll previously won a $5 million civil judgment in 2023 and an $83.3 million defamation judgment in 2024 against Trump.
- Acting AG Todd Blanche is recused from the case because he previously represented Trump.
A jury already found Trump liable for sexual abuse and defamation twice, awarding E. Jean Carroll over $88 million in total damages. Now the government Trump controls is opening a criminal investigation against the woman who won those verdicts.
The Justice Department has launched a criminal investigation into E. Jean Carroll over potential perjury in testimony during her lawsuits against President Donald Trump. Prosecutors are examining whether Carroll lied in a 2022 deposition when she said no one else was paying her legal fees.
The Perjury Theory Prosecutors Are Pursuing
The theory is that Carroll’s statement about outside funding may have been false because Hoffman, the LinkedIn co-founder and Democratic donor, later acknowledged helping cover legal costs. There was no immediate indication that Carroll has been charged with a crime, or what steps prosecutors have taken as part of the investigation.
The DOJ Conflict at the Center
The probe is the latest move in the department’s efforts to meet Trump’s demands to target his long-standing personal foes. Under acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, the department has pushed to speed up Trump’s campaign of retribution. Blanche has been recused from this matter because he worked as one of Trump’s personal attorneys during the civil trials.
Where Carroll’s Civil Cases Stand Right Now
Trump has appealed the $5 million sexual abuse case judgment to the Supreme Court and has pledged to do the same with the $83 million defamation case. The Supreme Court has deferred its decision on whether to take up Trump’s appeal twelve times, with the most recent deferral made Wednesday morning.
Carroll has maintained that Trump assaulted her and later defamed her repeatedly. Trump has denied all allegations. Critics are now describing the DOJ’s move as a direct act of legal retaliation against a private citizen who successfully sued a sitting president.
Disclaimer: This article is for general informational and news reporting purposes only. All investigation details and quotes are sourced from CNN, CBS News, BNO News, and KESQ as of May 27, 2026. E. Jean Carroll has not been charged with any crime. She is presumed innocent. TrenBuzz.com makes no independent legal assessments. Readers are encouraged to follow credible news sources for real-time updates.