The Justice Department has opened a criminal investigation into E. Jean Carroll, the longtime magazine columnist who accused President Trump and later won massive civil judgments against him.
The focus of the probe centers on whether Carroll committed perjury in testimony connected to her lawsuits. At its core is a 2022 deposition statement regarding who funded her legal fight. Carroll testified under oath that no outside party paid for her lawsuit, even though it later emerged billionaire Democrat donor Reid Hoffman covered some legal fees and expenses.
Senior Justice Department officials referred the matter to federal prosecutors in Chicago, where one person linked to the funding issue—Hoffman—maintains a nonprofit base. Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche is recused from the case because he previously worked as Trump’s personal attorney on Carroll appeals. Alina Habba argued at the time that Carroll’s team concealed the funding issue.
Judge Lewis Kaplan permitted another deposition but excluded the Hoffman funding question from jury consideration, meaning the dispute existed before trial while jurors never heard its full scope. This remains the central legal question facing prosecutors.
The investigation does not constitute charges against Carroll; it examines whether her sworn testimony crossed a criminal threshold. The timing is critical as Carroll’s cases against Trump remain active on appeal. Her side secured significant civil awards, but Trump continues to challenge them and has repeatedly labeled the claims “politically driven hoaxes.”
Currently, the $83 million defamation judgment stands pending U.S. Supreme Court review. A Second Circuit court allowed a temporary pause in payment while requiring Trump to post a $7.4 million bond for interest costs during appeals. This follows the court’s refusal to grant a full-court rehearing after affirming a January 2024 verdict.
Carroll’s broader litigation includes a May 2023 jury award of $5 million after a finding that Trump sexually abused her and later defamed her. Trump has denied all allegations, calling them a “made up scam,” while pursuing appellate relief.
The ongoing payment pause keeps the judgment from being collected as the Supreme Court reviews the case. This context makes the new DOJ probe especially significant given Carroll’s litigation remains active, costly, and politically explosive. For years, the case was viewed as a primary weapon against Trump. Now, scrutiny of the funding trail and sworn testimony raises critical questions about its legitimacy.
If prosecutors find no wrongdoing, the matter concludes without further action. But if they determine Carroll’s testimony was materially false under oath, one of America’s most prominent anti-Trump lawsuits could undergo profound transformation.
