US Justice Department probes E Jean Carroll for alleged perjury in Trump lawsuits
Consensus Summary
The US Justice Department is investigating whether E Jean Carroll committed perjury in her 2022 deposition for civil lawsuits against Donald Trump, focusing on her claim that she received no outside funding despite later revelations that billionaire Reid Hoffman funded some legal expenses. The probe, led by Chicagoâs US Attorneyâs Office, follows two jury verdicts in 2023 and 2024 where Trump was found liable for sexual assault and defamation, with damages totaling $83.3 million. Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche recused himself due to his prior representation of Trump in the case. While the investigation was first reported by CNN and The New York Times, ABCâs Article 1 includes a direct denial from the prosecutorâs office, creating a contradiction. The case reflects a broader pattern of Trumpâs Justice Department targeting political opponents, though no charges have yet been filed.
â Verified by 2+ sources
Key details reported by multiple sources:
- The US Justice Department launched a criminal investigation into E Jean Carroll regarding potential perjury in her 2022 deposition for civil lawsuits against Donald Trump.
- The investigation focuses on Carrollâs claim in a 2022 deposition that she received no outside funding for her lawsuits, later contradicted by revelations that Reid Hoffman (LinkedIn co-founder) funded some legal bills.
- A 2023 jury found Donald Trump liable for sexual assault and defamation against Carroll, awarding her $5 million in damages.
- A 2024 jury ordered Trump to pay $83.3 million ($116.2M or $116.9M) in damages for defamation, with slight variation in currency conversion reported.
- Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche recused himself from the investigation due to his prior role as one of Trumpâs attorneys in Carrollâs civil appeals.
- The investigation is led by the US Attorneyâs Office in Chicago.
- Carrollâs lawyer, Robbie Kaplan, has not responded to requests for comment in multiple reports.
- The probe was first reported by CNN and The New York Times.
Points of Difference
Details reported by only one source:
- US Attorney Andrew Boutros explicitly denied in a statement that his office had ever opened a criminal investigation into Carroll, contradicting the earlier source report.
- The source in Article 1 (ABC) claimed the probe was based on a 2022 deposition statement by Carroll that she received no outside funding, with later revelations about Hoffmanâs payments.
- Article 1 includes a direct quote from Boutros: 'The Chicago US Attorneyâs Office can confirm that it has not opened and has never opened a criminal investigation into E Jean Carroll.'
- Article 1 mentions that a 2024 appeals court ruled Carroll âplausibly represented that she had forgotten about the limited outside fundingâ and that additional discovery did not contradict her claim.
- The Guardian notes that Trumpâs lawyers claimed Carroll âhid Hoffmanâs fundingâ and that the obfuscation âundermined her credibility,â framing the issue as a deliberate deception.
- The Guardian includes a specific detail that Carrollâs lawyers said she ânever met or spoke with anyone from the nonprofitâ funding her legal fees.
- The Guardian highlights that this investigation is part of a broader pattern of Trumpâs Justice Department targeting political opponents, including James Comey, Letitia James, Adam Schiff, and Ilhan Omar.
Contradictions
Conflicting information between sources:
- Article 1 (ABC) states that US Attorney Andrew Boutros explicitly denied launching a criminal investigation, while Articles 2 (ABC) and 3 (Guardian) report that the Justice Department has launched such an investigation.
- Article 1 (ABC) reports the $83.3 million damages as $116.2 million in Australian dollars, while Article 2 (ABC) reports it as $116.9 million, with the Guardian not specifying the exact conversion.
- Article 1 (ABC) includes a redundant statement that Trump âdenied all wrongdoingâ twice, while the Guardian does not repeat this claim.
Source Articles
US prosecutor denies launching criminal investigation into E Jean Carroll
Chicago's top federal prosecutor has denied his office has launched a criminal investigation into E Jean Carroll, who accused Donald Trump of raping her in the mid-1990s.
Breaking: US Justice Department launches criminal probe into E Jean Carroll
The probe is focused on whether Carroll committed perjury in testimony tied to two civil lawsuits that she won against Mr Trump â one tied to âher allegations that he sexually abused her in a New York department store.
US justice department reportedly opens criminal inquiry into Trump accuser E Jean Carroll
Officials said to be examining whether Carroll committed perjury in 2022 deposition tied to lawsuits against president The Trump administration has opened a criminal investigation into E Jean Carroll, the writer who accused the president of sexual assault, according to news reports . Prosecutors, the New York Times and CNN reported on Wednesday, are looking into whether Carroll, 82, committed perjury in a 2022 deposition during her civil lawsuits against Trump, in which she said she did not acce