Letitia James Pleads Not Guilty to Fraud Charges, Calls Indictment Trump’s ‘Political Retribution’
New York Attorney General Letitia James has pleaded not guilty to a federal mortgage fraud indictment filed nearly a year after she secured a civil fraud conviction against former U.S. President Donald Trump.
James entered her plea on Friday, October 24, in the Eastern District of Virginia, where the case was brought by Lindsey Halligan — a former Trump lawyer appointed to lead the U.S. Attorney’s Office despite lacking prior prosecutorial experience. Halligan reportedly pursued charges against James and former FBI Director James Comey following public calls by Trump to prosecute his political rivals.
Both James and Comey have denied the allegations and are challenging the legality of Halligan’s appointment. The cases have also drawn criticism from legal experts, who argue they may constitute politically motivated prosecutions initiated by the Trump-aligned Justice Department.
According to the indictment, James allegedly committed bank fraud and made false statements related to a mortgage on a Virginia property, with prosecutors claiming she gained roughly $18,933 “over the life of the loan.”
James dismissed the charges as “baseless,” describing them as a clear act of political revenge. “Trump’s own public statements make clear that his only goal is political retribution at any cost,” she said earlier this month.
Her legal team has filed a motion accusing the government of unethical conduct, citing a “stunning disclosure” of internal communications between Halligan and James’ office that appeared in media reports. The motion argues that Halligan’s comments about grand jury evidence violated multiple federal and ethical rules governing prosecutors.
The indictment comes a year after James successfully led a New York state civil fraud case against Trump, which resulted in a significant financial penalty. However, that ruling was later partially overturned by an appellate panel, with both sides now appealing to the state’s highest court.
