US Politics

Letitia James to be arraigned in Virginia on federal bank fraud charges tied to 2020 home purchase

By Eric October 24, 2025

New York Attorney General Letitia James is set to appear in federal court in Norfolk, Virginia, on Friday morning for her arraignment on a two-count indictment related to allegations of bank fraud and making false statements to a financial institution. The charges stem from James’ purchase of a second home in Norfolk in 2020, where prosecutors claim she misrepresented the nature of the residence to secure more favorable loan conditions. James, who has been a prominent figure in legal actions against former President Donald Trump, has adamantly denied any wrongdoing, asserting that the charges are politically motivated and part of a broader campaign of retribution against her and other perceived political adversaries of the former president.

The indictment of James has sparked significant controversy, echoing concerns about the alleged politicization of the Justice Department during Trump’s second presidential term. Notably, the case against her was presented to a grand jury by Lindsey Halligan, a former White House aide appointed as the acting U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia just last month. This move followed the resignation of interim U.S. attorney Erik Siebert, who faced pressure to pursue indictments against both James and former FBI Director James Comey. The fallout from these prosecutions has led to the resignations or firings of several career officials within the Eastern District of Virginia, raising alarms about the integrity and independence of the Justice Department.

As James prepares for her arraignment, her legal team, led by attorney Abbe Lowell, is expected to challenge the indictment vigorously, likely filing a motion to dismiss the case on grounds of vindictive and selective prosecution. This approach mirrors the strategy employed by Comey’s legal team in a separate case earlier this week. James’ indictment follows her notable success in a civil fraud case against Trump last year, further intensifying the political stakes surrounding her current legal battles. With tensions high and the implications of these cases far-reaching, the upcoming proceedings are poised to attract significant national attention.

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New York Attorney General Letitia James will appear in federal court in Norfolk, Virginia, Friday morning to be arraigned on a two-count indictment stemming from statements she allegedly made about the nature of a second home she purchased in 2020.
James’ arraignment is the latest in a string of
prosecutions brought against the president
’s perceived political foes, despite objections from career prosecutors — some of whom have since been fired or resigned.
James was indicted on two federal counts of bank fraud and making false statements to a financial institution.
The indictment stems from her 2020 purchase of a home in Norfolk, Virginia, where prosecutors allege that she misled a bank about the nature of the residence in order to obtain more favorable loan conditions.
James, for her part, has vehemently denied wrongdoing, and is expected to plead not guilty.
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“This is nothing more than a continuation of the president’s desperate weaponization of our justice system,” James
said in a statement
after she was indicted.
“These charges are baseless, and the president’s own public statements make clear that his only goal is political retribution at any cost,” she added.
Her indictment, like the indictment of former FBI Director James Comey, was presented to a grand jury by former White House aide Lindsey Halligan, whom President Donald Trump installed as the acting U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia last month.
Trump, in September, said he would install Halligan as the top prosecutor for the Eastern District of Virginia, replacing interim attorney Erik Siebert, who resigned under pressure to indict both Comey and James.
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James’ indictment, like Comey’s, has touched off intense backlash and
concerns of weaponization
within the Justice Department’s ranks during Trump’s second presidential term.
Both cases have both sparked the resignations or firings of several career officials in the Eastern District of Virginia, including in the Norfolk office, where two assistant U.S. attorneys were fired for
reportedly
voicing opposition to bringing James’ case.
Halligan will be joined in court Friday by a Missouri-based federal prosecutor, Roger Keller, according to court filings.
James’ defense attorney, Abbe Lowell, told the court they have retained the services of Andrew Bosse, a former assistant U.S. attorney based in Norfolk who formerly headed up the office’s criminal division.
The case against James comes after she successfully brought a civil fraud case against Trump last year.
After the arraignment, it is likely that she will file a motion to dismiss her case for vindictive and selective prosecution, following similar steps taken by Comey’s legal team in Alexandria earlier this week.
Lowell, her attorney, has described the case against her as “improper political retribution,” and
vowed they would
“fight these charges in every process allowed in the law.”
The Justice Department did not immediately respond to Fox News’s request for comment on the case, or whether Halligan or Keller would be joined by any other federal prosecutors in the Eastern District of Virginia.