• The U.S. Justice Department is investigating E. Jean Carroll for possible perjury.
• The probe centers on her civil lawsuits against Donald Trump related to sexual assault and defamation.
• This investigation may not lead to criminal charges against Carroll.
• Carroll received significant jury awards in two defamation cases against Trump.
• Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche has recused himself from the case.

The U.S. Justice Department has initiated a criminal investigation into E. Jean Carroll, the author who accused former President Donald Trump of rape in the mid-1990s. This inquiry is probing whether Carroll committed perjury during her testimony in two civil lawsuits she successfully brought against Trump, including one for sexual assault that occurred in a New York department store and another for defamation. This information was reported by sources familiar with the investigation, according to Reuters, South China Morning Post, and CBS News.

The criminal probe is headed by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Illinois and arises from Carroll's statement during a 2022 deposition, in which she claimed not to have received any outside financial help for her lawsuits. It was later revealed that billionaire Reid Hoffman, co-founder of LinkedIn, had in fact assisted with her legal expenses, raising questions about the truthfulness of her deposition. The Justice Department's investigation has yet to indicate if any charges will actually be filed against Carroll, according to Reuters and South China Morning Post.

This investigation comes in the wake of previous jury findings in which Trump was found liable for sexual assault and defamation against Carroll, awarding her $5 million in 2023 and an additional $83.3 million in 2024 following a second jury ruling. These verdicts have upheld on appeal and contribute to the ongoing legal battles between Carroll and Trump, who maintains his innocence regarding all allegations, as noted by Reuters, South China Morning Post, and CBS News.

Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche has been recused from this investigation due to his prior representation of Trump on related legal matters, allowing for a degree of separation in this politically sensitive case, as reported by multiple sources including Reuters and South China Morning Post.