The Justice Department has reportedly launched a criminal investigation into E. Jean Carroll over allegations that she may have lied under oath during legal proceedings connected to her lawsuits against President Trump.
According to reports, federal investigators are examining whether Carroll committed perjury when she testified that no outside individuals were helping fund her legal battle against Trump.
The investigation stems from statements Carroll made during a 2022 deposition in which she reportedly told Trump attorney Alina Habba that she had not received outside financial assistance for her lawsuits. However, it was later revealed that billionaire LinkedIn co-founder Reid Hoffman had helped cover some of Carroll’s legal expenses.
CNN reported that prosecutors are now examining whether Carroll knowingly provided false testimony under oath.
The case revives one of the most politically explosive legal battles involving Trump in recent years.
In 2019, Carroll accused Trump of sexually assaulting her inside a dressing room at Bergdorf Goodman during the 1990s. Carroll was unable to provide an exact date or even the specific year the alleged incident supposedly occurred.
Trump has consistently denied the allegations, calling Carroll’s story fabricated and describing her publicly as a “whack job” who was “not my type.”
The civil trial became one of the most controversial courtroom showdowns of the 2024 election cycle. Although the Manhattan jury rejected Carroll’s claim that Trump raped her, jurors concluded that Carroll had proven Trump sexually abused her under New York law and awarded her $5 million in damages in May 2023.
A second defamation lawsuit later resulted in another massive judgment against Trump. In January 2024, a separate jury ordered him to pay Carroll $83.3 million after concluding his public comments about her damaged her reputation.
The renewed attention surrounding Carroll also comes after resurfaced CNN footage from an interview with Anderson Cooper circulated widely online. During the interview, Carroll described rape as “sexy” and a “fantasy” in certain contexts, comments that visibly stunned Cooper and quickly sparked backlash across social media.
Now, the Justice Department’s reported investigation threatens to add another major twist to a legal saga that has already dominated headlines for years.
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