The Justice Department has launched a criminal investigation into E. Jean Carroll, the longtime magazine columnist who accused President Trump and later secured significant civil judgments against him.

The probe centers on whether Carroll committed perjury in her testimony related to her lawsuits against Trump. Prosecutors are examining a 2022 deposition statement where Carroll claimed she received no outside funding for her legal actions. However, it was later disclosed that billionaire donor Reid Hoffman covered some of her legal fees and expenses.

Senior Justice Department officials have referred the matter to federal prosecutors in Chicago. The investigation follows Carroll’s deposition in New York, though Reid Hoffman maintains a nonprofit organization based in Chicago. Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche has been recused from the case due to prior work as Trump’s personal attorney during Carroll’s appeals.

Alina Habba, who represented Carroll at the time, previously asserted that Carroll’s legal team concealed the funding issue. Judge Lewis Kaplan permitted an additional deposition but excluded the Hoffman funding question from jury consideration, meaning the dispute existed before trial but jurors were not informed of it fully.

The ongoing investigation does not yet result in charges against Carroll, but it focuses on whether her sworn statement about the absence of outside funding constitutes criminal perjury.

This probe occurs amid active appeals regarding Carroll’s civil judgments. Her cases include a $5 million verdict from a May 2023 jury that found Trump sexually abused and defamed her, and an $83 million defamation award from January 2024. While the Supreme Court has the opportunity to review the $83 million judgment, Trump’s legal team has paused payment of the award while the case moves toward the high court.

The investigation is significant as Carroll’s litigation remains ongoing and politically sensitive.