How the prosecution of New York Attorney General Letitia James unfolded
After a federal housing regulator referred New York Attorney General Letitia James to the Justice Department in April 2025, a grand jury in the Eastern District of Virginia indicted her in October 2025 on bank fraud and false statement charges over a Norfolk home loan. She pleaded not guilty and said the case was politically motivated. A judge dismissed the indictment in November 2025 after ruling the prosecutor was unlawfully appointed, two grand juries then declined to re-indict, and the government's appeal is pending.
14 April 2025 to today · 23 dated events · 26 sources
Where it stands now · as of 1 November 2026
As of 1 November 2026 James faces no pending criminal charges. The October 2025 indictment was dismissed without prejudice, two later grand juries declined to indict, and the Fourth Circuit heard the government's appeal on 15 September 2026 but no ruling had been reported. She has denied wrongdoing.
counts in the dismissed indictment2bank fraud and false statements
alleged benefit$18,933according to the indictment
grand juries declined to re-indict2December 2025, per news reports
Timeline of events
Overview · 14 Apr 2025 to 15 Sep 2026 · click a dot to jump
2025
14 Apr 2025
Turning point
Investigation
Housing regulator refers James to the Justice Department
Federal Housing Finance Agency Director William Pulte sent a letter to Attorney General Pam Bondi asking the department to investigate James for possible mortgage fraud, ABC News and the Associated Press reported. The letter alleged she had described a Norfolk, Virginia home as her principal residence in 2023 paperwork and raised questions about other property records.
“appears to have falsified records in order to meet certain lending requirements and receive favorable loan terms”William Pulte, Good Morning America (ABC News)
James said the allegations were baseless and described the referral as retaliation for her actions against Trump, Newsweek reported. Her office had earlier said she would not be intimidated, ABC News reported.
“I will not be silenced. I will not be bullied.”Letitia James, Newsweek
Defense lawyer Abbe Lowell wrote to Bondi calling the referral political retribution, the Associated Press and CBS New York reported. He said a power-of-attorney form had mistakenly described the Virginia home as her principal residence and that emails showed she had said it would not be, and he asked the department to confirm the matter was closed.
“We would expect a quick response confirming that this referral matter has been closed”Abbe Lowell, WSKG (Associated Press)
Context: appeals court voids penalty in James's civil fraud case against Trump
In a civil case brought by James's office, a New York judge in February 2024 ordered Donald Trump to pay $355 million in penalties, which grew to more than $515 million with interest, according to Al Jazeera and the Associated Press. On this date a divided Appellate Division panel threw out the penalty while leaving the fraud finding in place, the AP reported, with two judges calling it an excessive fine according to Al Jazeera. James's office said it would seek a further appeal.
“yet another court has ruled that the president violated the law”Letitia James, Al Jazeera
Eastern District of Virginia US attorney Erik Siebert leaves
Erik Siebert, the US attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, told colleagues he was leaving after Trump said he wanted him out, Reuters reported. Reuters, citing two people familiar with the matter, said Siebert had doubts about the strength of a case against James. Trump later wrote that he had fired Siebert.
In a social media post addressed to Bondi, Trump urged prosecutions of his critics and wrote that justice must be served, according to NPR and agency reports carried by The Jakarta Post. He named White House aide Lindsey Halligan to replace Siebert.
“JUSTICE MUST BE SERVED, NOW!!!”Donald Trump, The Jakarta Post (agencies)
The attorney general issued an order naming Lindsey Halligan, a former personal lawyer to Trump with no previous federal prosecuting experience according to the Associated Press, as interim US attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. A court later ruled that this appointment was unlawful.
A federal grand jury in the Eastern District of Virginia indicted James on one count of bank fraud and one count of making false statements to a financial institution, the US attorney's office announced. The indictment alleges that she represented a Norfolk home bought in August 2020 with a $109,600 loan as a second home but used it as a rental property, and it seeks forfeiture of $18,933 in alleged loan savings. An indictment is an accusation and she is presumed innocent.
“No one is above the law.”Lindsey Halligan, US Attorney's Office, Eastern District of Virginia
James called the charges baseless and said the case was part of what she described as the president's weaponization of the justice system, NPR reported.
“This is nothing more than a continuation of the president's desperate weaponization of our justice system.”Letitia James, Connecticut Public (NPR)
Defense signals challenge to the prosecutor's appointment
James's lawyers gave notice that they would argue Halligan was unlawfully appointed, and filed a motion asking the court to enforce rules on statements to the media by prosecutors, according to the court docket.
At her arraignment in Norfolk before US District Judge Jamar Walker, James pleaded not guilty to both counts and was released on her own recognizance, CBS News reported. A jury trial was set for 26 January 2026, and Walker sent the appointment challenge to Senior US District Judge Cameron McGowan Currie, according to the docket.
“Not guilty, Judge, to both counts.”Letitia James, CBS News
James's lawyers filed a motion to dismiss the case as vindictive and selective prosecution, according to the court docket. The court did not rule on it before the indictment was dismissed on other grounds.
Indictment dismissed over the prosecutor's appointment
Judge Currie ruled that Halligan had been unlawfully appointed under 28 U.S.C. 546 and the Appointments Clause, and dismissed the indictment without prejudice, meaning charges could be brought again. The court noted Halligan was the only prosecutor who presented the case to the grand jury. A parallel ruling dismissed the case against former FBI Director James Comey.
“Ms. Halligan has been unlawfully serving in that role since September 22, 2025.”Judge Cameron McGowan Currie, US District Court, Eastern District of Virginia (via FindLaw)
A federal grand jury declined to return a new indictment against James, Al Jazeera reported, and CBS News later reported that the grand jury sat in Norfolk. Al Jazeera cited Reuters as reporting, from two unnamed sources, that prosecutors still planned to seek charges.
“a decisive rejection of a case that should never have existed in the first place”Abbe Lowell, Al Jazeera
A second grand jury, sitting in Alexandria, declined to indict James on mortgage-related charges, ABC News and the Associated Press reported, each citing unnamed sources. A Justice Department spokesperson did not immediately respond to ABC News.
“This unprecedented rejection makes even clearer that this case should never have seen the light of day.”Abbe Lowell, Good Morning America (ABC News)
The Justice Department said it would appeal the rulings dismissing the James and Comey cases to the US Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit, CBS News reported. The notices listed Halligan as US attorney and special attorney.
CBS News, citing two unnamed sources, reported that federal prosecutors in western Louisiana and northern New York had opened an early-stage inquiry into financial transactions between James and a longtime acquaintance. CBS said it could not determine what potential crimes were under review. Lowell said the department was pressuring people over their association with James. No charges against James have been reported from this inquiry.
“This abuse of justice must end.”Abbe Lowell, CBS News
New York judge disqualifies prosecutor in separate James inquiries
US District Judge Lorna Schofield ruled that John Sarcone was not lawfully serving as acting US attorney for the Northern District of New York, disqualified him from investigations into James and quashed his subpoenas, the Associated Press reported. The subpoenas concerned her office's lawsuits against Trump and the National Rifle Association, and the judge said they could be reissued by a lawfully authorized attorney.
“The subpoenas are quashed, and Mr. Sarcone is disqualified from further participation in the underlying investigations.”Judge Lorna Schofield, CFJC Today (Associated Press)
Halligan left the post when her 120-day interim appointment expired, after US District Judge David Novak barred her from using the US attorney title, the Associated Press and ABC News reported. Bondi said the circumstances were misguided and that the department would keep seeking review.
“The circumstances that led to this outcome are deeply misguided.”Pam Bondi, CFJC Today (Associated Press)
Bondi and Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche asked the Fourth Circuit to revive the cases, arguing the attorney general may appoint successive interim US attorneys and that the grand juries acted independently of Halligan, ABC News reported.
A Fourth Circuit panel of Chief Judge Albert Diaz and Judges Henry Floyd and Julius Richardson heard consolidated argument in Richmond, according to Above the Law, The Washington Post and Bloomberg Law. The Post reported that two judges questioned the government's position while Richardson appeared more receptive, and that a ruling was expected in the coming months.
“Under your reading of the statute, a nefarious, ne'er-do-well executive could do exactly that.”Chief Judge Albert Diaz, The Spokesman-Review (Washington Post)
Last updated 1 November 2026. Spotted an error? See corrections. Every event links to the record it comes from. Allegations are attributed to whoever made them.
