Letitia James, AG Who Defeated Trump In Court, Indicted For Mortgage Fraud

A federal grand jury has indicted New York Attorney General Letitia James for mortgage fraud, marking another effort from President Donald Trump to target his political adversaries, per CNN.

The indictment against James was presented on Thursday (October 9) by U.S. Attorney Lindsey Halligan of the Eastern District of Virginia.

In a video statement, James rejected the charges, calling them a politically motivated attack. Trump has long targeted James for her role in a civil fraud case that resulted in a $500 million judgment against him and his company, which was recently overturned on appeal.

“This is nothing more than a continuation of the president’s desperate weaponization of our justice system,” James said. “He is forcing federal law enforcement agencies to do his bidding, all because I did my job as the New York state attorney general.”

James added that the charges were “baseless” and accused Trump of “a grave violation of our constitutional order."

Details of the indictment haven't been officially released, but the case reportedly involves a 2021 real estate transaction in Virginia. A grand jury has been investigating whether James committed fraud when she assisted her niece in purchasing a home. One mortgage document listed James as intending to use the property as her primary residence, qualifying the loan for better rates, despite other emails and documents suggesting otherwise.

Elizabeth Yusi, a veteran prosecutor in the same office, had previously concluded there was no probable cause for charges and had been preparing to present that assessment to Halligan. However, after Halligan’s appointment last month, the case moved forward.

Halligan defended the indictment in a statement on Thursday.

“The charges as alleged in this case represent intentional, criminal acts and tremendous breaches of the public’s trust. The facts and the law in this case are clear, and we will continue following them to ensure that justice is served.”

Halligan's appointment came after Trump criticized delays in prosecuting his political opponents.

“What about Comey, Adam ‘Shifty’ Schiff, Leticia??? They’re all guilty as hell, but nothing is going to be done... We can’t delay any longer, it’s killing our reputation and credibility," the president wrote last month on Truth Social.

James' indictment also comes just weeks after Halligan brought charges against former FBI Director James Comey, despite career prosecutors having concluded that there was insufficient evidence.

It remains unclear when James will appear in court or what specific charges she faces.

“The president’s actions threaten not just me, but the very foundations of justice in this country," James said Thursday.

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