The Probe
The Justice Department opened a criminal investigation into E. Jean Carroll in late May 2026. Carroll is the writer who accused Trump of sexual assault in the 1990s and won two civil jury verdicts against him totaling $88.3 million.
The investigation focuses on whether Carroll committed perjury during a 2022 deposition when she testified that her lawyers were handling her case on contingency. Subsequent filings revealed that American Future Republic, a nonprofit founded by billionaire Reid Hoffman, had subsidized her litigation costs. The broader probe reportedly involves potential money laundering and conspiracy charges connected to Hoffman.
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche recused himself from the matter because he previously represented Trump in the civil cases Carroll won.
The Civil Judgments
Carroll sued Trump twice and won both times.
| Case | Year | Verdict | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sexual abuse and defamation | 2023 | $5 million | Upheld on appeal (2nd Circuit) |
| Defamation | 2024 | $83.3 million | Upheld on appeal (2nd Circuit) |
Both verdicts survived appeal in the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. Trump’s team raised the funding argument during the appeal. The court rejected it, finding that “a billionaire critic of President Trump had paid Ms. Carroll’s legal fees” did not undermine the underlying verdicts.
The Pattern
The DOJ has opened investigations into several people who have opposed Trump through legal or political channels. Career prosecutors have quit cases they considered politically motivated, including the Comey prosecution where the lead prosecutor withdrew without explanation.
Carroll responded on Substack on June 4, 2026, writing “I did not commit perjury.” U.S. Attorney Andrew Boutros, who is reportedly handling the case, said in a statement that “any claim” he opened the Carroll investigation “is categorically false.”
The investigation is being handled out of the Northern District of Illinois, not a jurisdiction with any connection to the underlying events in New York.
What You Can Do
- Write your senators through Resist Bot and demand Senate Judiciary Committee oversight hearings on DOJ investigations targeting plaintiffs who sued the president
- Contact the House Judiciary Committee and ask whether the DOJ probe meets the department’s own standards for opening criminal investigations
- Follow the case through ABC News and CNN for updates on the investigation’s scope and any charges filed