Letitia James indicted for fraud after Trump demanded case against New York attorney general
Attorney General Letitia James indicted on fraud charge after Trump pressure
- New York Attorney General Letitia James has been indicted on two counts of bank fraud and making false statements to a financial institution.
- The indictment follows demands from Donald Trump for federal prosecutors to criminally charge his political adversaries, including James.
- James described the charges as baseless and a "desperate weaponisation of our justice system," asserting they are driven by political retribution.
- Trump nominated his personal attorney, Lindsey Halligan, as US Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, who subsequently presented the case against James after career prosecutors reportedly found insufficient evidence.
- The charges allege James sought to defraud OVM Financial and First Savings Bank by listing a Virginia property as a primary residence to obtain favourable loan terms.