DOJ Launches Criminal Investigation into E. Jean Carroll Over Alleged Perjury in Trump Civil Lawsuits

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Justice opened a criminal investigation into E. Jean Carroll on May 27, 2026, examining whether the writer committed perjury in her civil cases against President Donald Trump.

The probe centers on Carroll’s 2022 deposition statement that no outside parties funded her lawsuits. Investigators are reviewing later disclosures that billionaire Reid Hoffman covered significant legal fees and expenses through a nonprofit.

Carroll accused Trump of sexually assaulting her in a Bergdorf Goodman dressing room in the mid-1990s. A 2023 jury found Trump liable for sexual abuse and defamation, awarding Carroll $5 million. A 2024 jury added $83.3 million in a separate defamation case over Trump’s public denials. Both judgments were upheld on appeal.

In her deposition, Carroll told Trump attorney Alina Habba no third parties paid her fees. Trump’s team learned of Hoffman’s involvement shortly before trial. Carroll’s lawyers stated she had no direct contact with the nonprofit and had plausibly forgotten the limited support. Judge Lewis Kaplan found no credibility issue and limited questioning on the funding. The Second Circuit upheld this view in 2024.

The investigation is handled by the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Chicago’s Northern District of Illinois, where Hoffman’s nonprofit is based. Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche recused himself due to prior representation of Trump in the Carroll appeals.

Reid Hoffman, co-founder of LinkedIn, is a major Democratic donor with deep ties to Hillary Clinton’s 2016 campaign. He advised Clinton on technology policy, donated substantially, and coordinated with campaign chairman John Podesta. Hoffman pledged up to $5 million in 2016 if Trump released his tax returns and was one of the largest backers of Democratic causes that cycle. He has continued heavy donations to Democratic candidates and PACs supporting Clinton-aligned figures.

The DOJ probe aligns with the Trump administration’s focus on election integrity and accountability in high-profile cases involving the president. No charges have been filed. Carroll’s legal team and Hoffman declined comment. The case remains ongoing.