A federal grand jury has indicted New York State Attorney General Letitia James on mortgage fraud allegations, as President Donald Trump’s administration has escalated its pursuit of a political adversary.
James was indicted on charges of bank fraud late Thursday, people familiar with the matter told the Wall Street Journal. The case was presented by Lindsey Halligan, the U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia who previously served as Trump’s personal lawyer.
The Justice Department subpoenaed James in August for both her handling of the civil fraud case that delivered $360 million in penalties against the president and his real estate firm, and her personal real estate transactions.
James’ lawyer in August called the investigation “the most blatant and desperate example of this administration carrying out the president’s political retribution campaign,” the New York Times reported.
The allegations against James include:
- Marking on a mortgage application that a house she and her niece bought in Virginia would be a primary residence
- James listed as her father’s wife on documents for a 1983 purchase of a Queens house
- Misrepresenting the number of units at a row house in Fort Greene, Brooklyn
- Falsifying documents to secure better mortgage terms
Attorney General Pam Bondi last month announced a special prosecutor to investigate whether James falsified records for homes she owns in Brooklyn and Virginia, worth under $2 million, to obtain better loan terms.
The administration first appeared to be probing James’ personal real estate transactions earlier this year, when the Times Union reported FBI and U.S. Attorney’s Office in Albany were following up on a criminal referral by Federal Housing Finance Agency director Bill Pulte.
James said earlier this year Pulte was on a “revenge tour” and accused the administration of weaponizing the federal government.
Read more
Donald Trump and Bill Pulte’s mortgage-fraud fraud
Trump’s DOJ targets Letitia James’ civil fraud victory
Trump’s revenge play against Tish James looks like a long shot
