New York Attorney General Letitia James has been subpoenaed as part of a federal grand jury probe into her office’s $454 million civil fraud judgment against former President Donald Trump, according to a source familiar with the investigation.
The subpoenas were issued by the Albany U.S. Attorney’s Office after the FBI opened an investigation into whether any misconduct occurred during the high-profile case, which concluded earlier this year.
One subpoena reportedly seeks information about James’ handling of the Trump civil fraud trial, which centered on allegations that the former president and his company inflated asset values to secure better loans and insurance terms. That case resulted in one of the largest civil penalties ever imposed on a U.S. politician.
A second subpoena relates to James’ separate investigation into the National Rifle Association — a years-long legal battle in which she has accused the gun rights group’s leadership of financial misconduct.
The source did not confirm whether the grand jury’s scope includes recent allegations — circulated in some media outlets — that James committed mortgage fraud on properties in Brooklyn and Virginia.
The Justice Department’s move marks a rare instance of a state attorney general facing federal scrutiny over prosecutorial conduct in a politically sensitive case. The Trump judgment has been a lightning rod for criticism from Republicans, who accuse James, a Democrat, of waging a politically motivated campaign to damage the former president ahead of the 2024 election cycle.
James has consistently defended her actions, arguing that no one — “not even a former president” — is above the law, and that the Trump case was based on substantial evidence of fraud.
The DOJ and FBI have not publicly commented on the nature or target of the grand jury probe.
