New York Attorney General Letitia James has been criminally indicted on federal charges by a grand jury.
James, who led a civil fraud investigation against Trump in 2023, was indicted on charges of bank fraud in the Eastern District of Virginia in Alexandria, according to court documents.
Prosecutors accuse James of alleged bank fraud and making false statements to a financial institution regarding a mortgage loan for a house in Norfolk, Virginia, the documents state.
In a statement, James accused the president - who recently publicly pressured prosecutors to file criminal charges against her - of a 'desperate weaponization of our justice system'.
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.
These charges are baseless, and the president's own public statements make clear that his only goal is political retribution at any cost.
The US prosecutor assigned to the case, Lindsey Halligan, meanwhile, said the case proved that no one is above the law.
The charges as alleged in this case represent intentional, criminal acts and tremendous breaches of the public's trust, she said.
James' first court appearance is scheduled for October 24 in Norfolk.
The federal government alleges that James bought a three-bedroom home in Norfolk using a mortgage loan that required her to use the property as a secondary residence and did not allow for shared ownership or 'timesharing' of the home.
The indictment claims the property was not occupied or used by James as a secondary residence but was instead used as a rental investment property, which was being rented to a family of three.
The 'misrepresentation' allowed James to obtain favorable loan terms that would not have been available for an investment property, prosecutors claim.
Halligan said that if convicted, James could face up to 30 years in prison per count and up to a $1 million fine on each count.
James's attorney, Abbe Lowell, stated: We are deeply concerned that this case is driven by President Trump's desire for revenge.
The indictment occurs in an environment where political tensions are already heightened; Trump's public attacks on James have been persistent, labeling her investigation a 'political witch hunt'.
New York Governor Kathy Hochul echoed concerns about the justice system being weaponized, calling the indictment a politicized move against those holding powerful individuals accountable.
This case highlights the complex interplay between legal processes and political ambitions in the current American context, prompting discussions on accountability and ethics in political office.
