The U.S. Justice Department has begun a criminal investigation into E. Jean Carroll, the writer who accused former President Donald Trump of sexual assault in the 1990s. The investigation seeks to determine if Carroll committed perjury during her testimony in two civil lawsuits against Trump, one regarding her allegations of sexual abuse and another concerning defamation. The inquiry, led by the U.S. Attorney's Office in Chicago, stems from a 2022 deposition where Carroll claimed she received no outside funding for her lawsuit. However, it was later revealed that Reid Hoffman, co-founder of LinkedIn, had contributed to her legal expenses. In May 2023, a jury found Trump liable for sexually assaulting and defaming Carroll, although they did not find him guilty of rape. A subsequent jury in January 2024 ordered Trump to pay $83.3 million in damages for defamation. Despite these legal challenges, Trump continues to deny any wrongdoing and remains embroiled in ongoing litigation with Carroll.