By Joel Gilbert
A few months ago, I crafted this image of Letitia James in handcuffs, partly as an artistic reflection, but also with a prescient touch. With a documented 43-year history of alleged mortgage fraud linked to Letitia James across New York and Virginia, it was a foregone conclusion that the day of reckoning would arrive.
Fast forward to today, and Lindsey Halligan, the newly appointed U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, has announced that a federal grand jury has issued an indictment accusing New York Attorney General Letitia James of committing Bank Fraud and making False Statements to a Financial Institution, both serious charges under U.S. law.
“No one is above the law. The charges as alleged in this case represent intentional, criminal acts and tremendous breaches of the public’s trust,” stated U.S. Attorney Halligan, emphasizing the clarity of both the facts and legal framework in this case—an assertion that is sure to resonate with those vigilant about justice.
Predictably, James countered by labeling the indictment as a mere extension of the President’s “desperate weaponization of the justice system,” a classic deflection from accountability.
My investigative reports for The Gateway Pundit, starting in March 2025, unveiled a troubling pattern of mortgage fraud and housing regulation violations linked to her Brooklyn apartment venture.
James allegedly secured lower interest rates and closing costs by misrepresenting her building, claiming it had fewer than five units, thus unfairly qualifying for more advantageous residential lending terms while evading the higher costs associated with commercial loans.
This investigation into alleged misrepresentation and financial fraud in New York is currently still active.
Meanwhile, in Virginia, Letitia James purchased three homes, each rife with indicators of possible mortgage fraud. One notable transaction took place in Martinsville in 2008, where she bought a foreclosure with family while obscuring her identity by misspelling her name, bravely defying legal norms by not appearing on the mortgage deed nor disclosing this purchase in her candidate filings.
Following this trail of missteps, my colleague Sam Antar highlighted James’s dubious declaration of a Virginia property, claiming it as her primary residence to secure lower interest rates, while making the baffling assertion that the property was acquired to provide shelter for her niece’s daughter, Nikia Monique Thompson—a fugitive from the law.
Today’s indictment involves yet another Virginia residence located at 3121 Peron Avenue in Norfolk. The indictment indicates that James was the sole borrower on a Fannie Mae-backed mortgage loan—Fannie Mae being a government-sponsored entity tasked with mortgage financing.
Allegations suggest that on or around August 17, 2020, James purchased the three-bedroom home for $137,000, financing it through a $109,600 mortgage backed by Fannie Mae.
The documentation claims the loan was under an assigned second home rider, obliging James to occupy the property as her secondary residence. However, contrary to these stipulations, James allegedly used the home as a rental for family members.
The indictment further asserts that these dubious representations afforded her favorable loan terms typically inaccessible to investment properties, producing approximately $17,837 in savings over the loan’s lifespan, alongside a roughly $3,288 seller credit, totaling approximately $18,933 in illicit financial advantages to James.
Notably, the indictment points to James misrepresenting the property in her homeowners’ insurance application by categorizing it as “occupied non-seasonal use,” another layer of deception regarding its intended use.
Ultimately, the indictment alleges that Letitia James had no intention of utilizing the property for personal occupancy, instead planning its use strictly as an investment.
Looking ahead, Sam Antar predicts that additional charges are imminent for all three properties owned by James in Virginia, which may encompass mail and wire fraud for each false declaration and charges against co-conspirators who attempted to shield her actions, including members of the Department of Justice.
This story is still unfolding—stay tuned for further developments.
Joel Gilbert is a Los Angeles-based film producer and president of Highway 61 Entertainment. He is the producer of the new film Roseanne Barr Is America. Gilbert has also produced Dreams from My Real Father, The Trayvon Hoax, and Trump: The Art of the Insult, along with many other politically charged films. Follow him on Twitter: @JoelSGilbert.
