Nationwide — New York Attorney General Letitia James was indicted in Virginia on felony charges of bank fraud and making false statements related to a 2020 mortgage, as the Justice Department under President Donald Trump continues to pursue his political opponents.
According to CNN, prosecutors said a grand jury in Alexandria returned two felony charges tied to a mortgage James used to buy a property in Norfolk, Virginia. She allegedly claimed the home would serve as her second residence to obtain a lower interest rate.
Investigators allege James never lived in the Norfolk home and instead rented it out to another family. The indictment states she received around $18,933 in improper financial benefits by classifying the property as a secondary home instead of an investment property.
James is expected to appear in court on October 24 in Norfolk. In a statement, she called the charges “baseless” and said they were part of Trump’s “desperate weaponization of the justice system.” She accused the president of using the Department of Justice to take revenge on his political critics.
The Justice Department’s push against James follows a series of similar cases targeting other Trump critics, including former FBI Director James Comey and former national security adviser John Bolton. Trump has repeatedly demanded that his political adversaries face prosecution.
James and Trump have long been political enemies. As New York’s top prosecutor, she led the civil fraud case that found Trump and his company liable for inflating property values. That case led to a $355 million penalty, which Trump has appealed.
Federal prosecutors handling James’ case are now led by Lindsey Halligan, Trump’s former personal attorney, who replaced Erik Siebert after he reportedly declined to pursue charges. Halligan said the indictment reflects “intentional criminal acts and breaches of public trust.”
Trump’s Justice Department official Ed Martin, known for leading efforts against what he calls “political bias” in law enforcement, celebrated the indictment online, writing, “Promises made, promises kept.”
Despite the charges, James has vowed to fight back in court, saying she will not be intimidated by political pressure.