New York Attorney General Letitia James was indicted on charges of bank fraud and making false statements to a financial institution by a federal grand jury in Virginia on Thursday, according to the Justice Department.
Why it matters: It's the latest development in President Trump's long-running feud with James as he pursues retribution against political adversaries who pursued prosecutions against him during his first White House term and in the years after.
What they're saying: "No one is above the law," U.S. Attorney Lindsey Halligan said in a news release announcing the indictment.
- "The charges as alleged in this case represent intentional, criminal acts and tremendous breaches of the public's trust," she said.
- "The facts and the law in this case are clear, and we will continue following them to ensure that justice is served."
The other side: "This is nothing more than a continuation of the president's desperate weaponization of our justice system," James said in a videotaped statement.
- "These charges are baseless, and the president's own public statements make clear that his only goal is political retribution at any cost."
- "His decision to fire a United States Attorney who refused to bring charges against me – and replace them with someone who is blindly loyal not to the law, but to the president – is antithetical to the bedrock principles of our country," she said.
- "This is the time for leaders on both sides of the aisle to speak out against this blatant perversion of our system of justice."
Context: The indictment comes after U.S. Attorney Erik Siebert, left his post under pressure from Trump after he failed to bring fraud charges against James and former FBI Director James Comey, who was indicted last month after Siebert's resignation.
- Trump called on Attorney General Pam Bondi to pursue charges against James and Comey in a Sept. 20 Truth Social post.
- Siebert was replaced with Halligan, Trump's personal attorney who has no prosecutorial experience.
Catch up quick: The Federal Housing Finance Agency wrote a criminal referral for James in April for allegedly falsifying bank statements to receive "more favorable loan terms" on a second home on Peronne Avenue in Norfolk, Virginia.
What's inside: Count one alleges James knowingly tried to "execute a scheme" to defraud her loan servicer "by means of false and fraudulent pretenses, representations, and promises."
- Count two alleges James knowingly made false statements that "the Peronne Property would be used as a secondary residence, when in truth and fact … the property was intended and used as an investment property with no intended or actual personal occupancy or use by her."
- An indictment is an accusation, and James is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
Zoom out: Trump has repeatedly slammed James and her office, claiming that James was on a "witch hunt" and calling her "a totally corrupt politician" who should resign.
- James secured an astonishing $367 million fine in a civil fraud lawsuit against Trump for improper business practices in 2024, before a judge determined the hefty fine was too large and reversed the punishment.
- Trump has issued at least two subpoenas to James since retaking office in January, including for information related to his civil trial.
- James' attorneys told Axios at the time that subpoenas amounted to the "weaponization of the justice system" that "should disturb every American."
Read the filing here:
More from Axios:
- Read: N.Y. AG Letitia James' indicted on 2 charges
- Letitia James responds to indictment: "I am not fearful, I am fearless"
- These are the people Trump told the Justice Department to prosecute after Comey
Editor's note: This article has been updated with additional details throughout.
