(MENAFN- Live Mint) New York Attorney General Letitia James was indicted on Thursday for mortgage fraud, following pressure from President Donald Trump, who had called on his Justice Department to target his political adversaries.

James, a Democrat, drew Trump's ire after she filed a lawsuit accusing him of inflating his wealth to build his business empire. The charges against her include bank fraud and providing false information to a financial institution related to a 2020 home purchase in Norfolk, Virginia.

The U.S. attorney overseeing the case in eastern Virginia, formerly a Trump aide, personally brought the charges before a grand jury shortly after taking over the position, reportedly amid pressure to secure indictments.

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This indictment comes just two weeks after former FBI Director James Comey was charged with lying to Congress, and reflects the Trump administration's controversial use of the Justice Department to go after prominent figures who had previously investigated or opposed him.

Here is a complete timeline of the conflict between Letitia James and Trump:

Nov. 6, 2018: During her election night speech in Brooklyn, Letitia James addressed Donald Trump directly, declaring that neither she nor New York was intimidated by him, saying:“We in New York - and I especially - are not afraid of you.”

March 11, 2019: James followed through on her vow by initiating a civil investigation into aspects of the Trump Organization, president's family business. Her probe centred on testimony from Michael D. Cohen, Trump's ex-lawyer and fixer, who claimed Trump had exaggerated the value of his assets in financial documents. Trump and his legal team fiercely resisted the investigation. At one point, a New York judge found Trump in contempt for not turning over personal records subpoenaed during the inquiry, the report noted.

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Sept. 21, 2022: While campaigning for re-election, James filed a broad lawsuit against Trump, accusing him and several of his family members of massively inflating the value of their assets by billions to deceive lenders and insurers. As part of the lawsuit, she aimed to ban Trump and his children - Donald Jr., Eric, and Ivanka- from operating any business in New York again.

“Another Witch Hunt by a racist Attorney General, Letitia James,” Trump wrote in a social media post, adding that“she is a fraud who campaigned on a 'get Trump' platform.”

Feb. 16, 2024: Following a months-long trial, a New York judge ruled that Trump had conspired to misrepresent his net worth and imposed a penalty of nearly $355 million, with interest pushing the total to over half a billion dollars. Letitia James hailed the verdict at a press conference, calling the scheme“intentional, egregious, and illegal.”

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Speaking at a press conference from his Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Florida, Trump denounced both Attorney General James and the judge as“corrupt” and pledged to challenge the ruling through an appeal.

April 14, 2025: Around three months into Trump's second term, the Federal Housing Finance Agency's director sent a criminal referral to the Justice Department, alleging that James“seemed to have falsified records” concerning properties in Virginia and New York to secure favourable loan terms. This move suggested that Trump was following through on his vow of retaliation and starting to build a case against her.

Aug. 8, 2025: The Justice Department launched an investigation into James's office to determine if it had infringed on Trump's civil rights during the fraud lawsuit. As part of the inquiry, officials issued subpoenas to her office.

Aug. 21, 2025: A split New York appeals court overturned the large fine Trump was ordered to pay, deeming it excessive, but confirmed the ruling that he had inflated his assets. This decision lets Trump pursue his appeal before New York's highest court.

Oct. 9, 2025: James was charged in the Eastern District of Virginia with bank fraud and making false statements connected to a property she owns in Virginia.

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In a lengthy statement, James decried the indictment as“nothing more than a continuation of the president's desperate weaponization of our justice system.”

“These charges are baseless, and the president's own public statements make clear that his only goal is political retribution at any cost. The president's actions are a grave violation of our Constitutional order and have drawn sharp criticism from members of both parties,” she added.

Pam Bondi reacts

In a post on X shortly after the indictment was handed up, Attorney General Pam Bondi wrote,“One tier of justice for all Americans.”

“No one is above the law,” Halligan, the U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, said in a statement.“The charges as alleged in this case represent intentional, criminal acts and tremendous breaches of the public's trust. The facts and the law in this case are clear, and we will continue following them to ensure that justice is served.”

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Trump has been advocating charging James for months, posting on social media without citing any evidence that she's“guilty as hell” and telling reporters at the White House,“It looks to me like she's really guilty of something, but I really don't know.”

These charges are baseless, and the president's own public statements make clear that his only goal is political retribution at any cost.

The indictment was announced just one day after James Comey appeared in court for charges alleging he lied to Congress in 2020. Comey's attorney informed the judge that they intend to seek dismissal of the case before trial, claiming it's a retaliatory prosecution directed by the president.

(With inputs from the New York Times and AP)

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