Esther Imonmion
New York Attorney General Letitia James was indicted on October 9, 2025, by a federal grand jury in the Eastern District of Virginia on charges of bank fraud and making false statements to a financial institution.
According to court documents, prosecutors allege that James misrepresented details in a mortgage application for a three-bedroom home she purchased in Norfolk, Virginia. The indictment claims she obtained the loan by stating that the property would serve as her secondary residence, while it was allegedly rented out as an investment property—making her ineligible for the favorable loan terms she received.
U.S. Attorney Lindsey Halligan, who was appointed after her predecessor resigned, said the charges “represent intentional, criminal acts and tremendous breaches of the public’s trust.” If convicted, James faces up to 30 years in prison and fines of up to $1 million per count.
James, in a statement, dismissed the charges as politically motivated, accusing President Trump of “weaponizing” federal law enforcement in retaliation for her prior civil fraud case against him. “He is forcing federal law enforcement agencies to do his bidding, all because I did my job as the New York State attorney general,” she said.
The first court appearance in the case is scheduled for October 24, 2025, in Norfolk.
The indictment follows months of political tension between James and Trump. As New York’s top prosecutor, she had previously led a high-profile civil case that found Trump liable for business fraud, resulting in a $500 million penalty—later reduced on appeal.
Civil rights organizations including the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and the New York Civil Liberties Union (NYCLU) have condemned the indictment as “a brazen abuse of power” and an example of “political retribution.”
New York Governor Kathy Hochul also criticized the move, describing it as “nothing less than the weaponization of the Justice Department to punish those who hold the powerful accountable.”
James has vowed to fight the charges and maintain her position as attorney general while the case proceeds.