Explainer

The Mortgage Fraud Charges Against Letitia James, Explained

Letitia James, New York's attorney general, speaks during a news conference in New York, US, on Friday, Feb. 16, 2024.Photographer: Jeenah Moon/Bloomberg

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By Erik Larson

October 10, 2025 at 9:29 PM UTC

On Oct. 9, the US Justice Department issued an indictment against New York Attorney General Letitia James, alleging bank fraud and false statements to a financial institution related to a mortgage on a Virginia property. The filing came after President Donald Trump publicly urged prosecutors to bring criminal charges against James, who won a contentious civil fraud trial against Trump and his family company in 2024.

The indictment accuses James of falsely claiming she would occupy a property she purchased as a second home to get more favorable loan terms and then renting it out to a family instead. The New York attorney general denied wrongdoing and accused Trump of weaponizing the Justice Department in a broader campaign of political retribution.