New York, October 10(HS): New York Attorney General Letitia James, known for leading a landmark civil fraud case against Donald Trump, has been indicted by a federal grand jury on charges of bank fraud and making false statements to a financial institution, according to court filings from the Eastern District of Virginia.
Prosecutors allege that James misrepresented the intended use of a three-bedroom house in Norfolk, Virginia, when securing a mortgage. The loan terms required the property to be used as her secondary residence, prohibiting shared ownership or timesharing arrangements.
The indictment claims the property was instead rented to a family, enabling James to obtain more favourable loan rates not available for investment properties.In her statement, James denounced the charges as “baseless,” accusing President Trump of orchestrating a politically motivated prosecution in retaliation for her legal actions against him.
“He is forcing federal law enforcement agencies to do his bidding, all because I did my job as New York State attorney general,” she said, warning that the move represents a “desperate weaponization of our justice system.”
The case is being led by US prosecutor Lindsey Halligan, a former personal attorney to Trump, who was appointed after the resignation of Erik Siebert. Siebert had reportedly told the Justice Department he lacked sufficient evidence to charge James. Halligan defended the indictment, declaring that “no one is above the law” and pledging to pursue justice for what she described as “tremendous breaches of public trust.”
James, scheduled to appear in court on October 24, is being represented by attorney Abbe Lowell, who expressed “deep concern” over White House interference. The charges come weeks after Trump publicly urged US Attorney General Pam Bondi to prosecute political opponents — a list that included James, former FBI Director James Comey, ex-National Security Adviser John Bolton, and Senator Adam Schiff.
Comey was indicted last month on unrelated charges and has pleaded not guilty.James rose to national attention in 2023 by securing a civil ruling that found Trump liable for falsifying financial statements to obtain better loan terms. While a $500 million penalty was later overturned by an appeals court for being excessive, the fraud finding was upheld.
Throughout that case, Trump accused James of pursuing a political “witch hunt,” while she maintained that the ruling confirmed he was “not above the law.”
The indictment sets the stage for a politically explosive legal battle, intertwining criminal allegations with deep partisan divisions and intensifying questions over the use of prosecutorial authority in the run-up to the 2026 election season.
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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar
