The Department of Justice opened a criminal investigation into E. Jean Carroll in May 2026 focused on possible perjury during a 2022 deposition in her civil cases against President Trump. Prosecutors in the Northern District of Illinois are examining whether Carroll accurately described the sources of funding for her lawsuits, including contributions linked to billionaire Reid Hoffman. No charges have been filed as of mid-October 2026, though the probe remains active amid broader DOJ scrutiny of Trump’s perceived adversaries. Ongoing Supreme Court appeals in the underlying civil verdicts and any procedural developments in the perjury inquiry represent the main near-term catalysts that could shift implied probabilities on federal charges.