Summary (tl;dr)

E. Jean Carroll is trending because the U.S. Justice Department has reportedly launched a criminal investigation into whether she committed perjury during her civil lawsuits against Donald Trump. This comes after she successfully sued Trump for sexual assault and defamation in two separate cases.

Essential Background

E. Jean Carroll, a former advice columnist, first publicly accused Donald Trump of sexually assaulting her in a Manhattan department store dressing room in the mid-1990s in her 2019 book. Trump vehemently denied these allegations, claiming she was lying and "not his type," which led Carroll to file a defamation lawsuit (Carroll I) in November 2019. The case initially stalled. In November 2022, following the passage of New York's Adult Survivors Act, Carroll filed a second lawsuit (Carroll II), renewing her defamation claim and adding a claim of battery (sexual assault).

The Full Story

E. Jean Carroll is currently trending because the Justice Department has reportedly initiated a criminal investigation into whether she committed perjury in connection with her civil lawsuits against Donald Trump. This investigation stems from her 2022 deposition where she stated she received no outside funding for her lawsuit. However, it was later revealed through court filings that billionaire Reid Hoffman, co-founder of LinkedIn, helped cover some of her legal expenses through a non-profit.

Carroll has already achieved significant legal victories against Trump. In May 2023, a federal jury found Trump liable for sexually abusing Carroll and defaming her with his 2022 statements, awarding her $5 million in damages. A second jury in January 2024 found him liable for defaming her with his 2019 statements, awarding her an additional $83.3 million. Both judgments have been upheld on appeal. While Trump's attorneys have raised the funding issue on appeal, an appeals court previously found that Carroll had "plausibly represented" that she had forgotten about the limited outside funding. The current criminal probe is being led out of the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Illinois, with Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche reportedly recused due to his previous representation of Trump.

Why It Matters

This criminal investigation adds a new and complex layer to the ongoing legal saga between E. Jean Carroll and Donald Trump, drawing significant public and political attention. If Carroll is found to have committed perjury, it could potentially undermine the public perception of her prior successful lawsuits, even though an appeals court has already addressed the funding issue in the civil context. For those interested in legal proceedings, political accountability, and the broader discussion surrounding sexual assault allegations and defamation against powerful figures, this development is highly significant. It also highlights the intense scrutiny and legal battles often faced by individuals who accuse prominent public figures of misconduct.

Geographic Location

• New York, New York, United States (location of alleged sexual assault, federal court proceedings for civil lawsuits)
• Northern District of Illinois, United States (U.S. Attorney's Office leading the criminal investigation into E. Jean Carroll)