Writer Jean Carroll receives $5.6 million from Trump
What's the story
Writer E Jean Carroll has received $5.625 million from United States President Donald Trump after three years of delay as Trump appealed the civil case verdict. A federal jury in Manhattan awarded Carroll $5 million in damages in 2023 after finding Trump liable for sexually abusing Carroll and defaming her. The final payment includes interest accrued over the last three years.
Legal confirmation
Payment made after Supreme Court rejected Trump's appeal
Carroll's lawyer Roberta Kaplan confirmed the payment in a statement to NPR.
She said, "Three years ago, a unanimous nine-person jury found President Trump liable for sexually assaulting and defaming E. Jean Carroll."
Court records filed on Tuesday show the payment was made after US District Judge Lewis A Kaplan ordered Trump to pay Carroll following the Supreme Court's refusal to hear his appeal against the verdict.
Case background
Jury found Trump liable for sexual abuse, defamation
In a 2019 memoir, Carroll had accused Trump of sexually assaulting her in a Manhattan department store in 1996.
Trump denied the allegation, saying, "She's not my type...it never happened."
Carroll then filed a lawsuit against Trump, accusing him of defamation.
The jury found him liable for both sexual abuse and defamation.
In a separate case, Carroll was awarded $83 million from Trump over another defamation lawsuit, which he has appealed against but federal courts have upheld so far.
Investigation news
Carroll under scrutiny by Department of Justice
In May, Carroll was reportedly under investigation by the Department of Justice (DOJ) for allegedly giving false testimony in civil cases against Trump.
The DOJ probe focused on whether she lied about her allegations of sexual assault and defamation against Trump.
The prosecution' theory was based on Carroll's 2022 deposition testimony that she got no outside funding for her lawsuit, yet it was later uncovered that billionaire Reid Hoffman funded some legal fees and expenses.