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New York Attorney General Letitia James, a longtime foe of President Donald Trump, was indicted connected transgression charges including slope fraud connected Thursday (October 9, 2025), the Justice Department said, arsenic the medication seeks to usage authorities powerfulness against those who person pursued investigations into him oregon publically resisted his agenda. Lindsey Halligan, the U.S. lawyer for the Eastern District of Virginia, said Ms. James had been indicted connected 1 number of slope fraud and 1 number of making a mendacious connection to a lending institution. The Justice Department has been probing owe fraud allegations against her.
"The charges arsenic alleged successful this lawsuit correspond intentional, transgression acts and tremendous breaches of the public's trust," Ms. Halligan said.
Each number is punishable by up to 30 years successful prison, but should Ms. James beryllium convicted, immoderate condemnation would beryllium determined by a judge.
Neither Ms. James' lawyers nor representatives of her bureau instantly responded to requests for comment. Mr. Trump, a Republican who campaigned for reelection successful portion connected a vow of retribution aft facing a slew of ineligible woes since his archetypal word successful the White House ended successful 2021, has repeatedly assailed James connected societal media and astatine governmental rallies arsenic a partisan enemy.
New York authorities Governor Kathy Hochul, a Democrat, said successful a station connected X, "What we're seeing contiguous is thing little than the weaponization of the Justice Department to punish those who clasp the almighty accountable."
Indictment follows charges against Comey
The indictment of Ms. James comes aft a expansive assemblage successful Virginia connected September 25 indicted erstwhile FBI Director James Comey connected charges of making mendacious statements and obstructing a legislature investigation. Mr. Comey pleaded not blameworthy connected Wednesday (October 8, 2025). Mr. Trump has regularly assailed Mr. Comey's handling of the FBI probe that elaborate contacts betwixt Russia and Trump's 2016 campaign.
Both indictments travel aft Mr. Trump, successful a September 20 societal media station addressed to U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi, said Ms. James, Mr. Comey, and U.S. Senator Adam Schiff were "guilty arsenic hell."
The indictments against Ms. James and Mr. Comey were some brought by Ms. Halligan, who was installed past period arsenic the apical national authoritative successful Alexandria, Virginia. Her predecessor, Erik Siebert, resigned connected September 19, hours aft Mr. Trump told reporters, "I privation him out." Mr. Siebert believed the grounds against Mr. Comey and Ms. James was weak, 2 radical acquainted with the substance told Reuters astatine the time.
As with the Mr. Comey case, Ms. Halligan presented the grounds against Ms. James to the expansive assemblage by herself, without enactment from vocation prosecutors successful the office, a idiosyncratic acquainted with the substance said. Prosecutors successful the bureau person antecedently expressed concerns astir the spot of the grounds against her, Reuters antecedently reported.
Mr. Comey's lawyers are expected to reason Ms. Halligan was unlawfully appointed arsenic U.S. attorney. If that question is successful, it could complicate the cases against Mr. Comey and Ms. James down the road. Ms. James is 1 of respective Democratic State Attorneys General who person sued to artifact Trump medication actions. She is champion known for bringing a civilian fraud lawsuit against mR. Trump and his household existent property institution successful 2022. The lawsuit resulted successful a $454.2 cardinal punishment against Mr. Trump aft a justice recovered helium fraudulently overstated his nett worthy to dupe lenders. A New York authorities appeals tribunal successful August threw retired the penalty, which had grown to much than a half-billion dollars with interest, but upheld the proceedings judge's uncovering that Mr. Trump was liable for fraud. Both Mr. Trump and Ms. James' bureau are appealing to the State's highest court.
Mr. Trump denied wrongdoing. He has accused James' bureau of bringing the lawsuit against him for governmental reasons.
James’ lawyer denies allegations
The Justice Department's owe fraud probe into Ms. James was opened aft Federal Housing Finance Agency Director William Pulte, a Mr. Trump appointee, sent a missive to the U.S. Justice Department alleging Ms. James "falsified records" to get favorable loans connected homes she purchased successful Virginia and Brooklyn.
In his referral letter, Mr. Pulte wrote that Ms. James indicated successful a owe exertion that a Virginia spot she was buying successful 2023 would beryllium her superior residence, adjacent though she lived successful New York.
Ms. James' lawyer Abbe Lowell has said that she mistakenly stated that the spot would beryllium a superior residence. He said she made it wide successful different documents that it would not beryllium her superior residence, and that her broker understood that. The Justice Department, aft receiving referrals from Mr. Pulte, has besides opened owe fraud probes into Schiff, a Democrat who led the House of Representatives' enquiry that led to Mr. Trump's impeachment successful 2019, and Lisa Cook, a subordinate of the Federal Reserve Board of Governors appointed by Democratic President Joe Biden.
Neither Mr. Schiff nor Ms. Cook has been charged with a crime, and they some contradict wrongdoing.
Loans for superior residences tin transportation little rates than mortgages connected concern properties oregon 2nd homes, which banks see riskier. It is unclear whether Ms. James', Mr. Schiff's, oregon Ms. Cook's lenders took their intended usage of the homes into relationship successful determining rates.
