New York Attorney General Letitia James has been indicted on federal charges by a grand jury related to alleged bank fraud. The indictment, issued in the Eastern District of Virginia in Alexandria, alleges that James made false statements to a financial institution regarding a mortgage loan for a residence in Norfolk, Virginia.
Prosecutors claim that James fraudulently obtained favorable loan terms by misrepresenting the nature of the property. According to court documents, the indictment indicates that James did not occupy the home as required for the mortgage but instead used it as a rental investment property. The potential consequences for James, if convicted, could include up to 30 years in prison and fines of up to $1 million for each count.
In her defense, James characterized the charges as baseless and accused former President Donald Trump of using the justice system for political retribution. She stated that his public statements show a deliberate attempt to manipulate federal law enforcement to target her for performing her duties as Attorney General.
The U.S. prosecutor assigned to the case, Lindsey Halligan, maintained that the charges reflect serious violations of public trust, asserting that “no one is above the law.” Halligan was appointed to oversee this case after the resignation of another prosecutor, Erik Siebert, who reportedly stated he did not find sufficient evidence to charge James.
James is scheduled to appear in court for the first time on October 24 in Norfolk. The indictment follows her civil fraud case against Trump in which he was found liable for falsifying records to secure better loan terms. This ongoing legal battle has drawn criticism and support from various political figures, highlighting the contentious relationship between Trump and James.
Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c4g9n4xj904o?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss