New York Attorney General Letitia James was indicted Thursday in Alexandria, Virginia, CNN reported, citing two sources familiar with the matter.
James has been under federal investigation since May over a 2023 mortgage she obtained to assist her niece in purchasing a home in Norfolk, Virginia, according to the report. The indictment comes amid a broader effort by the Trump administration to prosecute figures who have opposed the President.
Former FBI Director James Comey pleaded not guilty Wednesday to charges of making a false statement in a congressional proceeding. Investigations have also been opened into former National Security Adviser John Bolton, Senator Adam Schiff (D-CA), and others.
James, a longtime adversary of Trump, campaigned on promises to investigate him and ultimately secured a civil fraud judgment against Trump, his adult sons, and his real estate business. A judge found them liable for inflating property values and ordered Trump to pay $355 million in penalties. Trump has appealed the ruling.
During the 11-week trial, tensions between Trump and James were evident. Trump criticized James from the witness stand and in courthouse hallways, stating: “This is a political witch hunt and I think she should be ashamed of herself. You believe this political hack back there and that’s unfortunate.”
James responded outside the courtroom through social media and video statements.
The investigation centers on a mortgage application that allegedly misrepresented the property as James’ primary residence. Her attorneys submitted documents to the Justice Department in April disputing the allegations, calling them “threadbare.”
One document in the application mistakenly indicated the property would be James’ primary residence. However, James wrote in an email to her loan originator, “this property WILL NOT be my primary residence,” and checked a box on another form confirming the same.