Grand Jury Declines to Indict New York AG Letitia James
A federal grand jury decided on Thursday not to indict New York State Attorney General Letitia James, which is a notable setback for the prosecutors involved in a revised criminal mortgage fraud case. This information has been confirmed by various sources.
The jury was asked to reconsider the allegations but ultimately dismissed an updated mortgage fraud charge proposed by federal prosecutors in Norfolk. This came from individuals familiar with the case.
Roger Keller, who previously worked as a federal prosecutor in Missouri, joined the team prosecuting James in Virginia as of October 22. He was the one who filed the indictment, according to another source.
James, 67, faced earlier charges from Acting U.S. Attorney Lindsay Harrigan related to two counts of bank fraud and making false statements about a substantial loan she received in 2020 for purchasing a vacation property in Norfolk.
The New York State Legislature deemed these accusations as “baseless.”
This indictment was presented to a grand jury in Alexandria, Virginia, on October 9, but was dismissed later on November 24 by U.S. District Judge Cameron Curry. The judge ruled that Harrigan’s appointment was improper and that there was “no legal authority” for the charges.
On the same day as Judge Curry’s ruling, U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi stated that the Justice Department would pursue “all possible legal action, including an immediate appeal,” although no such actions have been taken so far.
The jury’s decision to dismiss the latest charges leaves the door open for prosecutors to file new charges within six months, following Curry’s ruling.
Officials from the Justice Department and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia did not respond when asked for comments.
A representative from James’s office, as well as her attorney Abby Rowell, also declined to make any comments.
Harrigan, who did not attend the grand jury proceedings pertaining to the newer indictment, had previously worked as a personal attorney for former President Trump’s defense team.
She took on the role of interim U.S. attorney starting September 22, succeeding Eric Siebert, who had opted not to bring charges against either James or Comey.
Just days prior to Harrigan’s appointment, Trump had urged Bondi on Truth Social to indict James, Comey, and Senator Adam Schiff (D-Calif.).
Both James and Schiff are currently facing criminal allegations related to the potential falsification of mortgage information on second homes, with Schiff identifying his Maryland residence as his primary home.
Letitia James once stated that “no one is above the law” while accusing Trump and his family’s real estate business of “astounding” fraud back in September 2022. Harrigan had echoed this sentiment when he secured his first indictment.
