United States Justice Department Opens Criminal Perjury Inquiry Against E. Jean Carroll Over Civil Lawsuits Against Donald Trump
The United States Department of Justice has launched a criminal investigation into whether writer E. Jean Carroll committed perjury during civil lawsuits against former President Donald J. Trump. The probe centers on statements made in those proceedings, where Ms. Carroll accused Mr. Trump of sexual assault.
Scope of the Investigation
Federal prosecutors are examining whether Ms. Carroll made false statements under oath in the two civil cases she brought against Mr. Trump. The inquiry focuses on alleged inconsistencies in her testimony regarding the timeline and nature of the encounter she described at a Bergdorf Goodman department store in the mid-1990s. Investigators are particularly scrutinizing depositions and court filings from the defamation and battery lawsuits that went to trial in 2023 and 2024.
Legal Context and Potential Charges
Perjury, defined as knowingly making a false statement while under oath in a federal proceeding, carries a potential penalty of up to five years in prison per count. The Department of Justice must prove that Ms. Carroll intentionally lied about a material fact, not merely that she made an error or had a faulty recollection. Legal analysts note that perjury cases involving civil litigation are rare and require a high evidentiary standard.
Background of the Carroll-Trump Lawsuits
Ms. Carroll first publicly accused Mr. Trump of sexual assault in a 2019 New York magazine article. Mr. Trump denied the allegation, calling it a hoax. Ms. Carroll subsequently filed two lawsuits: one for defamation regarding Mr. Trump’s denials, and another for battery under New York’s Adult Survivors Act. A federal jury in Manhattan found Mr. Trump liable for sexual abuse and defamation in May 2023, awarding Ms. Carroll $5 million in damages. A second trial in January 2024 resulted in an additional $83.3 million verdict for defamation. Mr. Trump has appealed both verdicts.
Witness Credibility and Judicial Scrutiny
The perjury investigation underscores the Justice Department’s focus on witness credibility in high-profile civil litigation. Judge Lewis A. Kaplan, who presided over both trials, previously noted discrepancies in Ms. Carroll’s testimony but allowed the cases to proceed. The federal probe marks a significant escalation, potentially exposing Ms. Carroll to criminal liability if prosecutors determine she deliberately fabricated or altered key details. Legal experts say the inquiry could also affect the pending appeals by Mr. Trump, who has consistently maintained his innocence.
Context: Federal perjury investigations stemming from civil lawsuits are uncommon but not unprecedented. In 2020, the Justice Department investigated former Trump campaign adviser George Papadopoulos for false statements made in a civil deposition related to the Russia probe. Similarly, in 2015, prosecutors charged former Subway spokesman Jared Fogle with making false statements to federal agents during a child pornography investigation, though that case involved criminal rather than civil proceedings.