New York Attorney General Letitia James has been subpoenaed by a federal grand jury in the Eastern District of Virginia as part of a criminal investigation into alleged mortgage fraud. The inquiry centers on claims that James misrepresented a Norfolk, Virginia property as her primary residence in 2023 to obtain favorable loan terms, despite her legal obligation to reside in New York as the state’s attorney general.
The investigation was initiated following a referral from Federal Housing Finance Agency Director William Pulte, a Trump administration appointee. Pulte’s referral alleges that James falsified mortgage documents related to properties in both Virginia and Brooklyn, New York. Specific allegations include misrepresenting the number of units in a Brooklyn property and inaccurately listing her father as her husband on a 1983 mortgage document.
James has denied any wrongdoing, characterizing the investigation as politically motivated retaliation for her prior legal actions against former President Donald Trump, including a $454 million civil fraud judgment. Her attorney, Abbe Lowell, acknowledged a clerical error in one document but argued that it was inconsequential and presented additional documentation to counter the allegations.
In a separate development, House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) has threatened to subpoena James for documents related to Matthew Colangelo, a former senior official in her office who now serves as a lead prosecutor in Trump’s Manhattan hush-money trial. Jordan alleges that Colangelo’s involvement in the case is politically motivated and has demanded communications and personnel records pertaining to his employment, as reported on the House GOV website.
The federal investigation into James’s mortgage dealings is ongoing, with the grand jury reviewing evidence to determine whether criminal charges are warranted. The case has intensified political tensions, highlighting the contentious intersection of legal proceedings and partisan politics.
