Deflect and Deny: Letitia James Dodges DOJ Probe with More Deception

Executive Summary: New York Attorney General Letitia James has doubled down on her defense against a federal investigation into her real estate filings—calling it “retribution” during a May 20 speech and CBS interview. But the documents say otherwise. From sworn declarations about her principal residence in Virginia to decades of false statements on Brooklyn mortgage forms, the paper trail tells a different story—one that cannot be dismissed with partisan talking points.

Author’s Note: I’m Sam E. Antar — former CFO of Crazy Eddie and a lifelong Democrat. I have no connection to Donald Trump, his campaign, or his legal team. My reporting on Letitia James began independently, based on public records anyone can access. If you think this is partisan, you haven’t read the documents.

The Media’s Willful Blindness

Much of the political press has rushed to defend James without reading the filings or examining the documents. They accept her blanket denials as gospel — dismissing this scandal as “right-wing retribution” while ignoring the facts.

They remind me of the investors I defrauded at Crazy Eddie — so desperate to believe the story they wanted, they never bothered to question the numbers. Back then, I was the con artist. Today, Letitia James is the one running the con. And the media? Still falling for it.

When All Else Fails, Cry Trump

At a “Power Breakfast” hosted by the Association for a Better New York on May 20, and in a same-day interview with CBS News (watch full segment), Letitia James claimed the DOJ probe into her is political payback:

“This investigation into me is nothing more than retribution. It’s baseless.” — Letitia James, May 20, 2025 (CBS 2 News)

James said she was being targeted for her $455 million judgment against Donald Trump and the Trump Organization. But a judgment—even a massive one—does not excuse false filings. The facts speak for themselves.

Background: The Sterling Street Mortgage at the Center of the Investigation

As first described in our 4/1/2025 exposé, in August 2023, New York Attorney General Letitia James executed a Power of Attorney to purchase 604 Sterling Street, a three-bedroom house in Norfolk, Virginia. She didn’t just sign loan paperwork—she jointly acquired the property with her niece, Shamice Thompson-Hairston. The deed was recorded in both of their names as joint tenants with right of survivorship, a form of ownership used when both parties intend to share the home as co-owners with equal rights.

James co-signed the $240,000 purchase and authorized a mortgage for $219,780 through American Neighborhood Mortgage Acceptance Company. That mortgage was approved based on James’s sworn written declaration that she intended to occupy the home as her principal residence—a legal requirement for owner-occupied loan terms. This declaration was not boilerplate—it was legally required for the loan and became the basis for underwriting owner-occupied lending terms they might not otherwise have qualified for.

Virginia Residency: She Admits the Timeline — and the Fraud

“This investigation to me is nothing more than retribution. It’s baseless. It has to do with the fact that on a Power of Attorney, I mistakenly indicated that I was a state of Virginia… but prior to that I had indicated to the mortgage broker that, in fact, in bold cap letters, that I am not a resident of Virginia and never will be.” — Letitia James, May 21, 2025 (Power Breakfast)

That admission destroys her defense. Letitia James now acknowledges that she signed a legal document—a notarized Power of Attorney—declaring her “intent to occupy [the property] as my principal residence,” but claims it was a mistake. She insists the truth lies in a private email she sent two weeks earlier, stating:

“This property WILL NOT be my primary residence. It will be Shamice’s primary residence.” — Letitia James, August 2, 2023 Email

But here’s the problem: that email wasn’t part of the official mortgage file. The Power of Attorney was. And in real estate law, what matters is what’s signed, notarized, and recorded—not an unfiled disclaimer sent to a broker weeks earlier.

“The power of attorney was never used to determine my eligibility for a mortgage for my niece for a home in the state of Virginia.” — Letitia James, May 21, 2025 (Power Breakfast)

That’s demonstrably false. The mortgage was executed using that very Power of Attorney. It wasn’t a side document—it was filed with the deed and mortgage and served as the legal basis for closing. It contained the declaration that Letitia James intended to make 604 Sterling Street her principal residence—a key eligibility requirement for owner-occupied loan terms provided by American Neighborhood Mortgage Acceptance Company (ANMAC).

Letitia James didn’t simply check the wrong box. She signed a sworn declaration under penalty of perjury—then never corrected it. She now admits she never intended to live in Virginia. But that only underscores the problem: if she never intended to move, she lied in writing to secure mortgage terms she wasn’t eligible for.

“I indicated… that I am not a resident of Virginia and never will be.” — Letitia James, May 21, 2025 (Power Breakfast)

If that’s true, then the sworn statement she signed on August 17, 2023, was false. And that’s not politics. That’s mortgage fraud.

📌 Timeline That Proves the Fraud

Every one of these dates is backed by sworn documents, emails, or official filings.

Conclusion: This Isn’t Political. It’s Legal.

Letitia James didn’t just sign a false document—she had months to correct it and never did. The Power of Attorney declaring Virginia as her principal residence was recorded, relied on, and never amended — despite her earlier email stating it would be Shamice’s residence. Her defense now is not that she told the truth—but that we should ignore what she swore under penalty of perjury.

Retribution? No. This is accountability.

FBI Confirms Active Probe with Direct Oversight

In the same CBS report, anchor Marcia Kramer confirmed the FBI is taking the case seriously:

“FBI Director Kash Patel confirmed that his agents are actively investigating the case and reporting directly to him and Deputy Director Dan Bongino… It is a case of great public importance.” — CBS 2 News, May 20, 2025

The “Big 4” Pattern: Why Unit Misrepresentation Matters

In the lead-up to the housing crisis, a known scheme emerged in New York City real estate: properties with five or six residential units were deliberately misrepresented as four-family homes to secure cheaper financing. Insiders referred to these manipulated deals as “Big 4’s.” Pulling off this kind of fraud typically involved several parties—mortgage brokers, appraisers, title companies, and attorneys—working together. Appraisers would exclude the fifth unit from reports. Title companies might leave the Certificate of Occupancy out of the chain of documentation or substitute a forged version. And attorneys involved in the closings often signed off without question.

Letitia James’ filings follow this same pattern. The official Certificate of Occupancy for her property at 296 Lafayette Avenue has listed it as a five-family dwelling since 2001. Yet over the course of two decades, James repeatedly described it in mortgage documents as having four units—or fewer. In one instance, she even labeled it a “1–2 family” residence. These misstatements allowed her to qualify for residential loan products—including federal HAMP relief—intended only for smaller, owner-occupied properties. By underreporting the unit count, James gained financial advantages unavailable to landlords of legally defined commercial properties.

This wasn’t a single mistake. James has filed at least 10 mortgage applications over a span of 22 years with the same false information. Each time, she concealed or understated the fifth unit in her Brooklyn property to access favorable terms. The practice began in 2001 and continued through at least 2021, despite the property’s official classification as a five-family dwelling since 2001. It wasn’t a misunderstanding. It was a business model.

The Physical Evidence Doesn’t Lie

Despite what she put on paper, the infrastructure of the Brooklyn property confirms the truth. Con Edison records show six electric meters: one for common areas and five labeled residential units. That matches the city’s classification, not James’ mortgage forms.

Letitia James has spent years prosecuting landlords for exactly this kind of behavior. Now she’s caught doing the same thing—and calls it retribution?

The Pattern Is the Point

This is not about one form or one property. It’s a pattern that spans decades. Letitia James is under investigation because:

• She declared a Virginia home as her “principal residence” in a sworn Power of Attorney.
• She repeatedly misclassified her Brooklyn property to obtain better loan terms.
• She benefited from a federal HAMP mortgage modification she may not have been legally eligible for.
• She failed to disclose mortgages and liabilities on NY ethics forms.

Every time she’s caught, she blames Trump. But that won’t hold up under oath.

“Don’t Harm My City”? What About the Law?

James ended her speech with bravado:

“My message is clear. Don’t harm my city. Don’t harm my state. Otherwise, you’ve got to go through me.” — Letitia James, May 20, 2025 (CBS 2 News)

But it’s not her city that’s under attack. It’s her credibility. Her filings. Her paper trail. And every time she deflects, the evidence becomes harder to ignore.

Conclusion: This Isn’t Political. It’s Legal.

Letitia James may have built her career prosecuting real estate misrepresentations. But the evidence now shows she spent decades committing them. The facts don’t care about her slogans. The FBI certainly doesn’t.

Retribution? No. This is accountability.

Written by: Sam Antar

© 2025 Sam Antar. All rights reserved.

DOCUMENTS:

• Virginia Power of Attorney
• Brooklyn Certificate of Occupancy
• Sterling Street Mortgage
• Full Case Archive
• CBS News Segment (May 20, 2025)