New York Attorney General Letitia James is set to appear in federal court in Norfolk, Virginia, on Friday for arraignment on mortgage fraud charges, following her indictment earlier this month by a Trump-appointed U.S. attorney, according to court filings.

The case, which has drawn national attention, marks a dramatic turn for the Democratic attorney general who led the civil fraud case against President Donald Trump last year.

The indictment was brought by Interim U.S. Attorney Lindsey Halligan, whom President Donald Trump appointed just days after publicly urging his attorney general to “act NOW!!!” against James and other perceived political adversaries.

Halligan replaced Erik Siebert, who was dismissed after reportedly raising internal concerns about pursuing prosecutions targeting James and former FBI Director James Comey, according to sources familiar with the Justice Department’s internal discussions.

Halligan secured the indictment charging James with bank fraud and making false statements to a financial institution.

According to the indictment, James allegedly misrepresented the purpose of a Virginia property she purchased in 2020, claiming it was a second home to qualify for a lower mortgage rate while instead using it as an investment property.

Prosecutors allege she rented the property to a family of three and collected thousands in rent, saving an estimated $17,837 over the life of the loan compared to a mortgage at an investment property rate.

“No one is above the law,” Halligan said in a statement. “The charges as alleged represent intentional criminal acts and tremendous breaches of the public’s trust. The facts and the law in this case are clear, and we will continue following them to ensure that justice is served.”

However, internal Justice Department records reviewed by news agencies indicate that prosecutors previously questioned the strength of the case.

In a September memo to former U.S. Attorney Siebert, prosecutors wrote that James had purchased the Norfolk home for her great-niece and had allowed her and her children to live there rent-free.

Investigators who interviewed the niece reported that she never signed a lease, never paid rent, and that James often sent money to help cover household expenses — contradicting key allegations in the indictment, according to sources familiar with the memo.

The indictment adds new tension between Trump and one of his most prominent legal adversaries. As New York’s attorney general, James spearheaded the civil fraud lawsuit that led to a multimillion-dollar judgment against Trump and his company, and she currently oversees multiple ongoing cases challenging Trump administration policies.

James has not publicly commented on the charges. Legal analysts say her arraignment on Friday could mark the start of a politically charged legal battle that will test both the independence of federal prosecutors and the boundaries of presidential influence over the Justice Department.