The US Justice Department has launched a criminal investigation into E. Jean Carroll, the writer who accused US President Donald Trump of raping her in the mid-1990s, a source familiar with the matter said on Wednesday.
The probe was focused on whether Carroll committed perjury in testimony tied to two civil lawsuits that she won against Trump – one tied to her allegations that he sexually abused her in a New York department store and another over defamation in 2019, said the source, who requested anonymity to discuss an ongoing investigation.
CNN first reported the development.
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The launch of a probe, which was being led by the US Attorney’s Office in Chicago, may not necessarily result in charges being brought against Carroll.
The department and Carroll’s lawyer Robbie Kaplan did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
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Since last year, Trump’s Justice Department has pursued a slew of investigations against the president’s antagonists and has brought criminal charges in some cases.