US Justice Department launches criminal probe into Trump accuser E. Jean Carroll

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 is 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.

The launch of ‌a probe, which is 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.

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.