The U.S. Department of Justice has referred an investigation concerning E. Jean Carroll to federal prosecutors in Chicago, according to a law enforcement source cited by the Chicago Sun-Times. This investigation is currently active in the office of U.S. Attorney Andrew Boutros.
The focus of the investigation is a 2022 deposition in which Carroll stated she had not received external funding for her legal actions against former President Donald Trump. However, it was later disclosed that Reid Hoffman, a billionaire and co-founder of LinkedIn, contributed to some of her legal fees and expenses. Hoffman operates a nonprofit based in Chicago.
In January 2024, a jury awarded Carroll $83.3 million in a lawsuit against Trump, which included a $5 million verdict for sexual abuse and defamation awarded in May 2023. The jury in the May 2023 case found Trump liable for a lesser degree of sexual abuse but rejected Carroll's claim of rape. Trump has appealed these awards multiple times, including to the Supreme Court, which has declined to hear his case.
The investigation comes as Boutros' office faces scrutiny following issues in the 'Broadview Six' case, where proceedings were halted due to discovered improprieties during grand jury processes, raising concerns about the office's credibility.
