New York Attorney General Letitia James is facing federal charges following an investigation into mortgage fraud allegations. But now, she’s under scrutiny regarding whom she was allowing to stay in her Virginia home at the center of her indictment.
James allegedly housed her grandniece, Nikia Thompson, at her Norfolk, VA, home for five years—despite Thompson being wanted by authorities in North Carolina, according to the New York Post.
Thompson, who lived at the Virginia property with her three children, has been officially labeled an “absconder” by the North Carolina Department of Corrections.
Court records confirm she failed to complete her probation for previous misdemeanor convictions related to assault, battery, and trespassing.
The Post reports that Thompson is currently wanted in North Carolina for not completing the terms of her parole after her 2011 arrest in Winston-Salem. In that case, she was charged with malicious conduct by a prisoner, a felony, along with assault of a government official and resisting a public officer.
Facing federal charges
James, who is now battling federal charges, appeared in a Virginia court on Monday.
The top prosecutor in New York, who led the civil fraud case against President Donald Trump, is accused of committing bank fraud and lying to a financial institution to secure a favorable mortgage rate. If convicted on the two federal charges, James could face up to 60 years in prison.
Despite the severity of the allegations, James appeared undeterred in her first public appearance since the charges were filed.
Speaking at a rally in Washington Heights, NY, for mayoral front-runner Zohran Mamdani on Oct. 13, she delivered a fiery speech that doubled down on her innocence and framed the indictment as politically motivated.
“We see powerful voices trying to silence truth and punish dissent,” James told the crowd. “We are witnessing the fraying of our democracy.”
She described the current political climate as “a defining moment in our history” and called on supporters to “stand together to defend our rights … every norm and every rule of law.
“I will not bow! I will not break! I will not bend!” she declared. “You come for me, you got to come through all of us!”
James prosecuted the case against Trump in 2023 that initially resulted in a staggering $500 million penalty for Trump; though, the decision was later overturned on appeal. Still, the former president was found liable for misrepresenting his net worth for financial gain.
Her own indictment last week came after a grand jury heard evidence from Lindsey Halligan, Trump’s former personal attorney and now U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, according to the Wall Street Journal.
Trump has long called for legal action against his political adversaries. James’ indictment follows the federal indictment of former FBI Director James Comey, who pleaded not guilty to charges of lying to Congress and obstructing a congressional investigation.
Meanwhile, the Justice Department has launched inquiries into other notable Trump critics, including former national security adviser John Bolton and California Congressman Adam Schiff.
