WASHINGTON: The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has opened a criminal investigation into E. Jean Carroll, the prominent author who recently won multi-million dollar defamation and sexual abuse lawsuits against U.S. President Donald Trump. Federal prosecutors are currently investigating whether Carroll committed perjury by misleading the court and providing a false affidavit during her civil proceedings against Trump. The development was first reported by CNN.
The probe comes on the heels of a massive federal court ruling two years ago, which ordered Trump to pay Carroll $83.3 million in damages for defamation.
Focus on Legal Funding Disclosures
The criminal inquiry centers on statements Carroll made during a 2022 deposition under oath. At the time, Carroll asserted that she had not received any outside financial assistance to fund her legal battle against Trump.
However, her legal team later disclosed to the court that Reid Hoffman, the billionaire co-founder of LinkedIn and a vocal critic of Trump, had backed some of her legal fees and expenses through a non-profit organization. Trump’s defense team has seized on this discrepancy, accusing Carroll of intentionally concealing the truth to hide a politically motivated agenda. The case is currently being handled by the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Chicago.
Accusations of Political Retribution
The opposition Democratic Party has strongly criticized the move, claiming that since taking office for a second term, President Trump is weaponizing the Justice Department to exact revenge on his adversaries.
“He is using the power of the DOJ to go after his own victims,” said U.S. Senator Adam Schiff, calling the probe a severe assault on the rule of law and an insult to survivors of abuse.
Critics point out that this is not an isolated incident; the new administration’s Justice Department has recently pursued similar indictments and inquiries against other high-profile figures who crossed Trump, including:
- James Comey (Former FBI Director)
- John Bolton (Former National Security Advisor)
- Letitia James (New York Attorney General)
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, who previously served as Trump’s personal defense attorney during the civil trials involving Carroll, has officially recused himself from this investigation. Prosecution sources emphasized that the inquiry is in its preliminary stages, and a final decision on whether to formally indict Carroll has not yet been made.
