The Justice Department has opened a criminal investigation into Corey Lewandowski over accusations that he profited from his role in government.
Posted by The Briefing with Jen Psaki, Checked
- Sources
- 4 support2 context
- Said
- 1 time·
- Confidence
- 85%
The Briefing with Jen PsakiOct 23, 2026
Multiple tier1 and tier2 sources (Reuters, NYT, BBC/CBS, AP) report on 2026-10-23 that the Justice Department opened a criminal investigation into Corey Lewandowski over allegations he profited from his government role, based on a DHS inspector general referral.
This claim is about the present, so it is judged as of the day it was checked.
What was said
… Jennifer, it's always wonderful to see you, and thank you for using your platform to have a conversation that is so important in this moment. Oh, thanks so much. Coming up, the breaking news tonight is that Donald Trump's Justice Department has opened a criminal investigation into long time Trump advisor Corey Lewandowski over accusations that he profited from his role in government. It sure seems like Corey Lewandowski wasn't aware of the cardinal rule: only Donald Trump is allowed to be wildly corrupt and profiting. We'll be right back. In his mind, only Donald Trump can use the presidency to enrich himself, no one else. …
The Briefing with Jen Psaki · · from the transcriptPost →What we found
Supports. The New York Times reports, citing two officials, that the Justice Department has opened a criminal investigation into Corey Lewandowski over accusations he profited from his role as a top adviser at DHS.[3]
Supports. Reuters reports, citing three US officials and a fourth person, that Lewandowski is under criminal investigation over allegations he profited off his government role, and the probe began with a DHS inspector general referral.[1][5]
Supports. BBC, citing CBS News, reports the DOJ is investigating whether Lewandowski personally profited from his role, tied to DHS contracts.[4]
Context. Lewandowski's lawyer denies wrongdoing and says he has not been contacted by DOJ; Reuters notes DOJ had not yet issued subpoenas, and sources were anonymous. These details qualify the investigation's stage but do not contradict its existence.[1][3]
Context. Trump told reporters he had 'heard something about' the probe and did not know details; this is not a contradiction of the investigation.[2][6]
Sources
6 sources: 2 fact-checkers, 1 tier 2, 1 tier 1, 2 not rated
- 1Trump ally Lewandowski faces criminal investigation over DHS tenure, sources sayreuters.com · fact-checker · cited for: supports, context
- 2Trump comments on reported Justice probe into Corey ...apnews.com · fact-checker · cited for: context
- 3Justice Dept. Opens Inquiry Into Lewandowskinytimes.com · tier 2 · cited for: supports, context
- 4US justice department investigating Corey Lewandowski ...bbc.com · tier 1 · cited for: supports
- 5Trump Ally Lewandowski Faces Criminal Investigation ...usnews.com · not rated · cited for: supports
- 6Trump says he 'heard something about' Justice Department ...abcnews.com · not rated · cited for: context
Where this claim was made
Said in 1 published post