The Justice Department’s criminal inquiry into Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell, centered on his congressional testimony about headquarters renovation costs, was dropped on April 24, 2026, and referred to the Fed’s inspector general for review. U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro has publicly stated she would restart the probe if the inspector general’s audit uncovers evidence of wrongdoing, and she reaffirmed that possibility in early May amid ongoing litigation over prior subpoenas. These statements, combined with Senate Republican resistance to confirming Powell’s successor Kevin Warsh until the matter is resolved, have kept the potential for reopening under active consideration. The timeline hinges on inspector general findings and any new disclosures from the renovation audit, both of which could directly influence whether prosecutors take further action before Powell’s term concludes.