New York Attorney General Letitia James has built her career on a reputation for fierce accountability, often championing the cause of holding powerful figures to the fire over financial misconduct. But a closer look at her own family history reveals a strikingly ironic tale of legal maneuvering, family secrets, and potential fraud.
Back in 1983, Letitia James was just 24 years old, living with seven siblings in a small, two-bedroom apartment in Brooklyn. She hadn’t yet entered law school, but that same year, she and her father, Robert James, applied for a mortgage to purchase a modest home at 114-04 Inwood Street in Queens. According to property records, they listed themselves as “husband and wife” on the loan application – a serious misrepresentation under federal law that could qualify as mortgage fraud, carrying potential penalties including hefty fines and even prison time.
Robert James passed away in 1986, but it wasn’t until 1999 – 13 years later – that Letitia James filed for letters of administration over his estate, a legal move required to manage his remaining assets. The Inwood Street property was listed as the only asset of the estate, valued at $105,000, matching the bond James posted as administrator.
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