Prosecution of Letitia James

On October 9, 2025, Letitia James, the attorney general of New York, was indicted by a federal grand jury in Virginia on two counts: one charge of bank fraud and one charge of making false statements to a financial institution. The charges stem from allegations that James misrepresented the nature of a property she purchased in Norfolk, Virginia, in 2020, to secure more favorable loan terms. James denied the allegations and pleaded not guilty when arraigned on October 24, 2025; the charges were dismissed without prejudice on November 24, so the case did not go to trial. The Justice Department sought a new indictment, but in December, two grand juries each declined to indict James.

The indictment was brought against James following extended calls by President Donald Trump to pursue multiple political opponents, including James. Career prosecutors who previously handled the case believed evidence against James was insufficient to bring charges, and were subsequently fired. The case against James was brought by Lindsey Halligan, one of President Trump's former personal attorneys, who he hand-picked to be the new interim U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. In addition to this, the prosecution is being described as politically motivated, since she had previously sued Trump.