Letitia James, New York’s Attorney General and a prominent political ally of Rickford Burke—a controversial activist with Guyana’s opposition People’s National Congress (PNC)—has been indicted on federal criminal charges related to alleged mortgage fraud and false statements to a financial institution. The BBC is reporting.
The indictment, filed in the Eastern District of Virginia, accuses James of misrepresenting a Norfolk, Virginia property as a personal secondary residence when, according to prosecutors, it was instead used as an investment rental. Prosecutors allege that this misrepresentation enabled her to secure preferential mortgage terms under false pretenses.
James faces charges of bank fraud and making false statements, each carrying penalties of up to 30 years in prison and $1 million in fines per count. Her arraignment is scheduled for October 24.
James strongly denied the charges, calling them a politically motivated attack orchestrated by President Donald Trump, who has repeatedly clashed with her over her investigations into his business dealings.
“He is forcing federal law enforcement agencies to do his bidding, all because I did my job,” James said in a statement. “These charges are baseless, and the president’s own public statements make clear that his only goal is political retribution.”
The U.S. Attorney leading the case, Lindsey Halligan, a former personal attorney to Trump, defended the prosecution:
“The charges… represent intentional, criminal acts and tremendous breaches of the public’s trust. No one is above the law.”
The case took a dramatic turn after the previous federal prosecutor, Erik Siebert, reportedly resigned when he concluded there wasn’t enough evidence to indict. Trump later appointed Halligan to take over.
Letitia James’s indictment also casts fresh scrutiny on her political associations—particularly her close ties to Rickford Burke, a New York-based Guyanese activist wanted in Guyana on charges including inciting public terror and racial hostility.
James has previously echoed some of Burke’s calls for U.S. intervention in Guyanese domestic politics, including public criticism of the ruling People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) government. In 2022, she was publicly criticized by political figures in both Guyana and the U.S. for appearing alongside Burke at diaspora events and signaling support for PNC-aligned narratives.
Though the current indictment does not link Burke to the mortgage fraud case, observers note that the political optics of their association—particularly with Burke’s adversarial stance toward Guyana’s democratically elected PPP/C government—may further complicate James’s position.
James led the high-profile 2023 civil fraud case against Trump, accusing him of inflating asset values to secure favorable loans and insurance deals. That case resulted in a $500 million penalty, though an appeals court later reduced the amount while upholding the fraud finding.
(Source: Reporting by the BBC and public court filings.)