The reported May 2026 launch of a Justice Department criminal inquiry into E. Jean Carroll centers on possible perjury tied to her deposition statements about outside funding for the civil lawsuits against President Trump. Those suits produced jury verdicts holding Trump liable for sexual abuse and defamation, with damages upheld on appeal including by the Supreme Court in June 2026. The probe reportedly examines contributions from a nonprofit linked to Reid Hoffman, though the U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois publicly denied opening any investigation targeting Carroll herself and clarified focus on related entities. No federal charges have been filed. Trader assessments reflect uncertainty over whether the inquiry will advance to indictment amid prosecutorial discretion, evidentiary hurdles in perjury matters, and shifting DOJ priorities.