New York Attorney General Letitia James, the Democrat who led the landmark civil fraud case against President Donald Trump, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Virginia on charges of mortgage fraud.
The indictment, confirmed Thursday by multiple US media outlets, including CNN and The Washington Post, marks a stunning turn in the long-running feud between Trump and some of his most prominent critics.
According to reports, the 66-year-old James was accused of committing mortgage fraud in connection with a property she allegedly helped her niece purchase in Virginia in 2023. The case was brought by Lindsey Halligan, the US attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, appointed by President Trump after the resignation of her predecessor, Erik Siebert.
Siebert reportedly stepped down after telling Justice Department leaders there was insufficient evidence to charge James or former FBI Director James Comey, another longtime Trump antagonist.
The Washington Post reported that Halligan personally presented the case to the grand jury in Alexandria, Virginia, which returned the indictment on Thursday.
“This is a vindictive and selective prosecution,” said Patrick Fitzgerald, attorney for James Comey, who was indicted a day earlier on unrelated charges of making false statements to Congress and obstruction.
Comey, 64, pleaded not guilty on Wednesday, with a trial date set for January 5. He faces up to five years in prison if convicted.
Trump, who returned to the White House earlier this year, has repeatedly called for prosecutions of those he viewed as political enemies, including James, Comey, Democratic Senator Adam Schiff, and former National Security Adviser John Bolton.
“Attorney General Pam Bondi should take action against these corrupt officials,” Trump said recently, in what observers described as a clear signal of his intent to punish critics through the legal system.
Letitia James rose to national prominence after bringing a civil fraud suit against Trump and his real estate empire, alleging that he had inflated his net worth to secure favourable loans and insurance terms. A New York judge initially ordered Trump to pay $464 million in penalties, though a higher court later paused the financial judgement while upholding the core of the case.
The indictment against James has sparked sharp debate across Washington, with critics calling it a politically motivated retaliation.
“This is not justice — it’s retribution,” a Democratic lawmaker told The Washington Post, accusing the Trump administration of weaponising the Justice Department.
Since taking office in January, President Trump has embarked on what analysts described as a sweeping campaign of political payback, purging officials deemed disloyal, targeting law firms involved in previous cases against him, and cutting federal funding to several universities perceived as hostile to his administration.
The Justice Department has not issued an official statement on the charges against Letitia James, who remains in office as New York’s attorney general. Her legal team has not yet commented publicly on the indictment.
