Justice Department Opens Criminal Investigation Into E. Jean Carroll

The Justice Department has launched a criminal investigation into E. Jean Carroll, the former magazine columnist who accused President Trump of sexual assault, according to multiple sources familiar with the matter.

Prosecutors are looking into whether Carroll committed perjury during testimony tied to her two civil lawsuits against Trump. In one suit, Carroll alleged Trump sexually abused her in a New York department store in the mid-1990s. In the second, she accused him of defaming her by repeatedly denying the assault occurred and claiming she fabricated the story to sell a book.

At the center of the investigation is a statement Carroll made under oath that she received no outside funding for her litigation. It was later revealed that billionaire LinkedIn co-founder Reid Hoffman had paid some of her legal fees and expenses, raising questions about whether that claim was truthful.

No charges have been announced, and the investigation is ongoing.