Overview

• A federal grand jury in Alexandria, Virginia, charged Letitia James with mortgage fraud and false statements tied to a loan for a Norfolk property.
• Prosecutors allege she claimed the unit as her primary residence to obtain a Fannie Mae rate, lowering interest to about 3% from 3.815% on a $109,000 mortgage and yielding roughly $18,900 in savings over the life of the loan.
• The indictment was obtained by prosecutor Lindsey Halligan, and reporting says President Trump removed Michael Ben'Ary after he declined to bring the case before reassigning it.
• James called the allegations unfounded, accused the White House of weaponizing the justice system, and said she will fight the charges.
• The case carries heightened political stakes because James previously won a civil fraud judgment against Trump, and some coverage notes similar mortgage inquiries involving other officials.