Trump Accuser E. Jean Carroll, U.S. Attorney Denies Reports of Criminal Investigation
E. Jean Carroll U.S. Attorney Blasts Reports He's Investigating Trump Accuser ... But Is She Part Of A Broader Probe?
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E. Jean Carroll can perhaps breathe a sigh of relief ... after a U.S. Attorney denied reports his office is investigating her in connection with her lawsuit alleging President Donald Trump sexually abused her ... but we're told she is connected to a related investigation.
Andrew Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, posted a message on X Thursday, saying he had not opened a criminal investigation into Carroll despite numerous media reports saying otherwise. Boutros noted, "Any claim to the contrary is categorically false.”
However, law enforcement sources tell TMZ ... Boutros' office is looking into a Chicago-based entity tied to billionaire Reid Hoffman, who allegedly provided some funding to Carroll for legal expenses she incurred during the Trump lawsuit.
Our sources say prosecutors are probing the money Carroll allegedly received from the entity, but it's only a small part of a much broader investigation.
Our sources say prosecutors are probing the money Carroll allegedly received from the entity, but it's only a small part of a much broader investigation.
Earlier this week, CNN, the New York Times, NBC and other major news outlets reported that Boutros had opened an inquiry into Carroll, who sued Trump twice in civil court in 2019. In the first lawsuit, Carroll claimed she was sexually abused by Trump in a Manhattan department store in the 90's.
Carroll sued Trump again for defaming her when he kept publicly denying the assault, saying she wasn’t his type and that she was only making the claims to boost sales of her 2019 book, "What Do We Need Men For?: A Modest Proposal."
CNN reported Boutros' probe zeroed in on whether Carroll perjured herself when she gave testimony about Trump.
Specifically, CNN said prosecutors theorized Carroll might have lied when she said in a 2022 deposition that she never received funding for her initial lawsuit. Allegations surfaced later that Hoffman's allegedly funneled cash to her for legal fees and expenses.
Our law enforcement sources say Boutros' office received a packet of information that included allegations that Carroll's committed perjury at her deposition ... but we're told prosecutors are currently not looking at that side of it. The sources added that their focus could change as time goes on and more information is collected.
