NY Attorney General Letitia James speaks during a press conference on the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) at Manhattan Federal Courthouse on Feb. 14, 2025 in New York City.
Michael M. Santiago | Getty Images
New York Attorney General Letitia James was indicted Thursday by a grand jury in Virginia on at least one count of bank fraud after evidence personally presented by a prosecutor hand-picked by President Donald Trump, MSNBC reported.
James is a long-time antagonist of Trump, who had publicly called for criminal charges to be filed against her.
Lindsey Halligan, the prosecutor who obtained the indictment, recently obtained a criminal indictment against another Trump foe, former FBI Director James Comey, on charges related to his allegedly lying to Congress in 2020.
Halligan, who is the interim U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, also personally presented the evidence in Comey’s case, reportedly after other prosecutors balked at the idea.
Comey pleaded not guilty during a court appearance in Alexaon Wednesday and was scheduled to stand trial on Jan. 5.
CNBC has requested comment from James’ lawyer, Abbe Lowell, and the offices of Halligan and James.
James previously sued Trump in a civil case in New York that led to him and his company being held liable for business fraud.
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul blasted the indictment of her fellow Democrat.
“New Yorkers know @NewYorkStateAG James for her integrity, her independence, and her relentless fight for justice,” Hochul wrote in a post on X.
“What we’re seeing today is nothing less than the weaponization of the Justice Department to punish those who hold the powerful accountable,” the governor wrote.
James’ indictment comes three days after MSNBC reported that a top prosecutor in Halligan’s office, Elizabeth Yusi, was resisting pressure to ask a grand jury to charge James.
“Yusi … has confided to co-workers that she sees no probable cause to believe James engaged in mortgage fraud, the two sources told MSNBC,” that report on Monday said.
Federal Housing Finance Agency Director Bill Pulte in April made a criminal referral against James with the U.S. Justice Department, saying she had in multiple instances falsified bank documents and property records in connection with a home in Virginia and a New York property.
Lowell has denied the suggestion that James said the Virginia home was her primary residence to obtain a more favorable loan rate.
This is breaking news. Please refresh for updates.
