Justice Department investigating whether Trump accuser E. Jean Carroll committed perjury, sources say
CBS News • • nation
Key Points:
- The Justice Department is investigating author E. Jean Carroll for potential perjury related to her civil lawsuits against former President Donald Trump, focusing on whether she lied about receiving outside funding for her legal expenses.
- The investigation is being led by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Illinois, with Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche recused due to prior representation of Trump.
- Carroll sued Trump for sexual assault and defamation, winning two jury verdicts in 2023 and 2024 that awarded her a total of over $88 million in damages, both of which were upheld on appeal.
- The perjury probe centers on Carroll’s 2022 deposition claim that she had no outside funding, which was contradicted by revelations that billionaire Reid Hoffman helped cover some of her legal costs.
- Hoffman stated he funded Carroll’s lawsuit after it was filed to support her voice against a more powerful adversary, emphasizing that he did not encourage the lawsuit itself.