She won $88 million from Donald Trump, but now her legal funding has triggered a criminal probe.
The Justice Department is investigating whether E. Jean Carroll lied about who paid her lawyers.
Going to court against a powerful leader takes immense courage, but keeping the source of your funding secret can turn a historic victory into a federal probe.
What Happened
The Justice Department has opened a criminal probe into E. Jean Carroll's court testimony. The probe focuses on a trust funded by Reid Hoffman, the billionaire co-founder of LinkedIn. Hoffman is a major donor to the Democrats.
Investigators want to know about comments Carroll made regarding how she paid her lawyers. In 2022, she testified under oath that no one else was paying her legal fees. She said her lawyers would only get paid if they won the case.
Her lawyers later corrected this statement in 2023. They said a nonprofit funded by Hoffman had actually helped pay the costs. An appeals court previously ruled that Carroll simply forgot about this outside help.
What the money shows
- A jury awarded Carroll $5 million in 2023 and $83 million in 2024.
- Carroll testified in 2022 that no outside donor was funding her lawsuit.
- Her lawyers revealed in 2023 that a nonprofit funded by Reid Hoffman helped pay her fees.
- An appeals court ruled that Carroll was not involved in her funding details and likely forgot.
- The new criminal probe is run by a Trump-appointed federal prosecutor in Illinois.
The Bigger Question
Is this a real search for the truth, or is it a political tool? When the justice system targets the allies of a president's rivals, it makes people lose trust in the courts.
We must ask if this probe would exist if the donor did not support the opposition party.
The Other Side
Trump's lawyers argue that the secret funding shows the lawsuit was a political setup. They believe Carroll lied under oath to hide this political backing.
The evidence shows Carroll corrected her statement before the trial, and appeals judges found her explanation believable.
What Happens Now
This probe could delay the final payouts from the civil lawsuits. For regular people, it shows how easily court cases can turn into political battles.
It raises fears that the government can use criminal probes to target political opponents.
What We Still Don't Know
- Who first asked the Justice Department to start this probe?
- Did E. Jean Carroll play any active role in securing the funding?
- Will this probe lead to any actual criminal charges against Carroll or Hoffman?
Transparency notes
Published: May 28, 2026. No major post-publication update has been logged.
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