The US Department of Justice has launched an investigation into journalist and writer Jean Carroll, who twice won cases against US President Donald Trump.
As sources told CBS News, the Justice Department will investigate whether Carroll lied when she said no one was funding her allegations against Trump. She stated this under oath in 2022. However, it was later revealed that billionaire Reid Hoffman, co-founder of LinkedIn, helped pay part of her legal fees. He said this happened after Carroll went to court.
The investigation is being led by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Illinois. Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, who represented Trump in some of the proceedings, has been removed from the case, the source said.
Carroll filed two lawsuits against Donald Trump, accusing him of sexual assault and defamation. She won both times and took home over $88 million.
Jane Carroll said that in 1996, at the Bergdorf Goodman store in New York, Trump asked her to try on underwear, which he considered a gift for another woman. According to Carroll, Trump followed her into the fitting room, where he raped her.
The jury did not agree that Trump raped Carroll, but decided that he committed “sexual acts” against her. Trump himself denied these accusations.