The Department of Justice opened a criminal inquiry in May 2026 examining whether E. Jean Carroll committed perjury during her civil suits against President Trump, specifically her deposition statements about outside funding for legal costs from a nonprofit tied to Reid Hoffman. The U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois later stated his office had not opened or conducted any such investigation into Carroll. No federal charges have been filed as of mid-October 2026, and the probe's scope remains limited to testimony on lawsuit financing rather than the underlying allegations. Parallel civil appeals continue, including Trump's pending Supreme Court challenge to the $83 million defamation judgment. Resolution of any charges would depend on prosecutorial decisions within the current administration, with trader consensus reflecting uncertainty over whether the inquiry advances beyond preliminary review.