New York Attorney General Letitia James Indicted on Federal Mortgage Fraud Charges

A federal grand jury in Virginia has indicted New York Attorney General Letitia James on bank fraud and false statement charges linked to a 2020 real estate purchase, a case she and her attorneys claim was advanced under political pressure from the White House.

The indictment, filed October 9 in the Eastern District of Virginia, alleges that James provided false information to a bank when applying for a mortgage to purchase a home in Norfolk. Prosecutors claim she represented the property as a second residence to qualify for favorable mortgage terms, then rented it to a family instead of occupying it herself.

The five-page filing, signed by U.S. Attorney Lindsey Halligan, alleges that James “knowingly and intentionally” misled the bank about her intended use of the property. Halligan, a former Trump aide appointed earlier this year, stated that the conduct described in the indictment represents “serious breaches of the public’s trust.”

James, who has served as New York’s attorney general since 2019, denied the allegations and argued that the case was an attempt to punish her for prior investigations involving President Donald Trump. In a video statement posted on social media, she stated, “These charges are baseless and politically motivated. The president’s actions demonstrate an unprecedented attempt to use the Justice Department for retribution.”

Her attorney, Abbe Lowell, argued that the decision to bring charges came only after career prosecutors who previously handled the case were replaced. He stated that those prosecutors had concluded there was insufficient evidence to support criminal charges before Halligan assumed control of the investigation. “When a president publicly calls for the indictment of his critics, it undermines confidence in the rule of law itself,” he said.

James is scheduled to make her first court appearance on October 24 in Norfolk. The charges carry potential penalties, including prison time and fines, under federal statutes that govern bank fraud and false statements to financial institutions.

The case marks a significant turn for James, who rose to national prominence after suing Trump and his companies over allegations that they inflated the value of real estate assets to obtain loans and insurance benefits. That civil fraud case led to a $500 million judgment that was later overturned on appeal, though the finding of fraud was upheld.

The new indictment follows recent charges against former FBI Director James Comey, accused of lying to Congress in 2020. Both cases have drawn public scrutiny over whether political considerations have influenced prosecutorial decisions.

James, 66, became the first Black woman elected to statewide office in New York and won reelection in 2022 after briefly running for governor. In the same video statement posted online, she stated that she intends to remain in office while the case moves through court and will continue to carry out her duties as attorney general. “I have always followed the law and the evidence wherever it leads,” she said. “No amount of intimidation or interference will change that.”