New York Attorney General Letitia James (D) faces criminal charges over allegations she lied about her plans for a Virginia home, allowing her to obtain favorable loan terms.
The accusations of real estate fraud against a prominent political figure may ring a bell.
James’s sweeping civil fraud case against President Trump and his business empire — the case that put her in his crosshairs — casts a shadow over the charges now lodged against the state’s top prosecutor herself, though far smaller in scope.
As Trump seeks retribution against his perceived enemies, the parallels could be used to both bolster the president’s efforts to discredit James and underscore critics’ claims of a weaponized justice system against his foes.
The indictment filed Thursday charges James with two counts, bank fraud and false statements to a financial institution, centering on her 2020 purchase and subsequent use of a property in Norfolk, Va.
She’s accused of buying the home under an agreement that required her to occupy and use it as a secondary residence but instead renting it to a family of three, resulting in better terms that would have saved her nearly $19,000 over the life of the loan.
When James took Trump to court in Manhattan, it was over claims of civil fraud.
She alleged in a 2022 lawsuit against him and the Trump Organization that he inflated his net worth for tax and insurance benefits — an attack on the president’s cherished real estate mogul image and billionaire status.
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