Liz Gil
@lizcgil.bsky.social
6.9K followers 5.8K following 13K posts
founding senior attorney @ optimal counsel. startup lawyer. biglaw escapee. dog momager, @adamstasiw.com’s #1 fan. advocate for a healthier legal profession. she/her. formerly lizcgil on twitter, not there anymore. views my own. 🇨🇺🗽🦎
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Reposted by Liz Gil
kenwhite.bsky.social
I’ve never seen anything remotely this petty charged as bank fraud.
joshuajfriedman.com
NEW: Here's the two-count indictment against NY AG Letitia James. storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...
INDICTMENT
October 2025 Term - at Alexandria, Virginia
THE GRAND JURY CHARGES THAT:
GENERAL ALLEGATIONS
At all times relevant to this Indictment:
1. Letitia A. James ("JAMES) was a resident of Brooklyn, New York, and the borrower on a
Fannie Mae-backed mortgage loan for the property located at 3121 Peronne Avenue,
Norfolk, Virginia.
2. OVM Financial (also known as Old Virginia Mortgage / AnnieMac) was a mortgage lending business located in Virginia Beach, Virginia, engaged in the business of originating and underwriting residential mortgage loans, including those backed by the Federal National Mortgage Association ("Fannie Mae"). OVM Financial qualified as a "financial institution" within the meaning of 18 U.S.C. § 20(10).
3. Fannie Mae was a federally chartered corporation that purchased and guaranteed mortgages,
operating as a government-sponsored enterprise under the oversight of the Federal Housing
Finance Agency ("FHFA").
4. First Savings Bank was a state-chartered, FDIC-insured financial institution (Certificate
#29961), headquartered in Jeffersonville, Indiana, which acquired mortgage loans through assignment or acquisition. First Savings Bank qualified as a "financial institution" within the meaning of 18 U.S.C. § 20(1).
5. On or about August 17, 2020, JAMES, as sole borrower, purchased the three (3) bedroom,
(1) bathroom property located at 3121 Peronne Avenue, Norfolk, Virginia 23509 (the
"Peronne Property"), for approximately $137,000, financed with a mortgage loan of approximately $109,600 (Loan #4430025978) backed by Fannie Mae.
6. The loan was originated by OVM Financial under a signed Second Home Rider, which required JAMES, as the sole borrower to occupy and use the property as her secondary residence, and prohibited its use as a timesharing or other shared ownership arrangement or agreement that requires her either to rent the property or give any other person any control over the occupancy or use of the property.
7. Despite these representations, the Peronne Property was not occupied or used by JAMES as a secondary residence and was instead used as a rental investment property, renting the property to a family of (3).
8. This misrepresentation allowed JAMES to obtain favorable loan terms not available for investment properties, including a note rate of 3.000% (avoiding a 0.815% higher
comparable investment property rate of 3.815%, resulting in approximately $17,837 in rate savings over the life of the loan), a seller credit of approximately $3,288 (exceeding the seller credit for investment properties by approximately $1,096), for total ill-gotten gains of approximately $18,933 over the life of the loan.
9. JAMES' Universal Property application for homeowners' insurance indicated "owner- occupied non-seasonal use," further misrepresenting the intended use of the property.
10. JAMES filed Schedule E tax forms), under penalties of perjury, treating the Perrone Property as rental real estate, reporting fair rental days, zero personal use days, thousand(s)
of dollars in rents received, and claiming deductions for expenses relating to the property, further contradicting the second home classification.
11. The loan was acquired by or assigned to First Savings Bank by March 2021, exposing it to risks associated with the misrepresented loan.
12. The acts described herein occurred within the Eastern District of Virginia.
COUNT ONE
(Bank Fraud - 18 U.S.C. § 1344)
13. The allegations in paragraphs 1 through 12 are re-alleged and incorporated herein.
14. From on or about August 7, 2020, through at least January 2024, in the Eastern District of Virginia and elsewhere, the Defendant, LETITIA A. JAMES, did knowingly execute and attempt to execute a scheme and artifice to defraud OVM Financial and First Savings Bank,
financial institutions, and to obtain moneys, funds, and credits owned by and under the custody and control of OVM Financial and First Savings Bank by means of false and fraudulent pretenses, representations, and promises.
15. The scheme involved falsely representing the Peronne Property as a secondary residence to obtain favorable mortgage terms, while using it as an investment property with no intended
or actual personal occupancy or use by her.
(In violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1344).
COUNT TWO
(False Statements to a Financial Institution - 18 U.S.C. § 1014)
16. The allegations in paragraphs 1 through 12 are re-alleged and incorporated herein. 17. From on or about July 28, 2020, through at least August 31, 2020, in the Eastern District of Virginia and elsewhere, the Defendant, LETITIA A. JAMES, did knowingly make and cause to be made false statements and reports for the purpose of influencing the action of OVM Financial, a Fannie Mae-backed lender, upon an application for a loan, in that JAMES represented and affirmed in uniform residential loan applications and related documents that
the Peronne Property would be used as a secondary residence, when in truth and fact, as JAMES then knew, the property was intended and used as an investment property with no intended or actual personal occupancy or use by her.
(In violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1014).
FORFEITURE NOTICE
Pursuant to Federal Rule of Criminal Procedure 32.2(a) and Title 18, U.S.C. §
982(a)(2)(A), upon conviction of the offenses in Counts One and Two, the Defendant, Letitia
A. James, shall forfeit to the United States any property constituting, or derived from, proceeds obtained, directly or indirectly, as a result of such violations, including but not limited to a money judgment in the amount of $18,933.
If any of the property described above, as a result of any act or omission of the Defendant: (a) cannot be located upon the exercise of due diligence; (b) has been transferred or sold to, or deposited with, a third party; (c) has been placed beyond the jurisdiction of the court; (d) has been substantially diminished in value; or (e) has been commingled with other property which cannot be divided without difficulty, the United States shall be entitled to a forfeiture of substitute property pursuant to Title 21, U.S.C. § 853(b), as incorporated by Title
18 U.S.C. § 982(b)(1).
(In accordance with Title 18 U.S.C. § 981(a)(1)(C) and 982(a)(1); Title 28, U.S.C. § 2461(c); and Title 21 U.S.C. § 853(p).)
Reposted by Liz Gil
Reposted by Liz Gil
newyorkstateag.bsky.social
This is nothing more than a continuation of the president’s desperate weaponization of our justice system.

I am not fearful — I am fearless.

We will fight these baseless charges aggressively, and my office will continue to fiercely protect New Yorkers and their rights..
Reposted by Liz Gil
joycewhitevance.bsky.social
This administration is flooding the zone so furiously that people have largely lost track of the lethal attacks on boats in the Caribbean, the gov’t shutdown, the economy, failed release of the Epstein files & so much else. It’s a tactic of would-be strongmen.
Reposted by Liz Gil
bencollins.bsky.social
Sometimes it’s hard to tell if the bad guys know they’re losing, so it’s important to read it when they say it out loud.
helldude.bsky.social
mencius moldbug is thinking of fleeing the country because he thinks the trump administration's chaotic half-assing of dismantling liberal democracy is going to bite them all in the ass
Reposted by Liz Gil
leftistlawyer.com
"The fights for trans rights and Palestinians are over and we lost" is something I'm seeing over and over from cis white progressives. And I'm seeing variations of this popping up about racial justice, marriage equality, and disability rights too.

Sorry, but fuck that.
lizcgil.bsky.social
Everyone grieves differently. Some of us cry. Some of us withdraw. Some of us recite our favorite old Taylor lyrics manically to our husband over lunch, Pinot Grigio in hand, while he tells us “it’s okay, babe, YOU’RE the real showgirl”
lizcgil.bsky.social
I have already heard this man speak far more times than I should. Than anyone should. We will never be compensated for the minutes we’ve spent witnessing him opening his mouth and talking about things. For God’s sake, end the suffering
lizcgil.bsky.social
My honest non trolling advice to JD Vance is
Reposted by Liz Gil
jessicacalarco.com
Weaponized gratitude is a key tool in the abuser's toolkit. The goal is to convince the victim that they owe the abuser so much, they should feel guilty for wanting to complain.
Tweet from the VP:
Joy Reid has had such a good life in this country. It's been
overwhelmingly kind and gracious to her. She is far wealthier than most.
Yet she oozes with contempt.
My honest, non-trolling advice to Joy Reid is that you'd be a much
happier person if you showed a little gratitude
Reposted by Liz Gil
ebonyteach.blacksky.app
Just watched the sunset. I live in the part of town where there are fewer trees, but there's always the sky... and the colors were beautiful.

Every day lately, I've been resolved to take moments here and there to celebrate what they cannot control. What they will never control.
lizcgil.bsky.social
And to be clear, I wasn’t expecting this album to offer searing political commentary lol. She ain’t like that. But given the branding, I think maybe I *hoped* for either something that was a bit deeper/more aware, or something that made me want to dance my face off. It wasn’t either
Reposted by Liz Gil
lawprofblawg.bsky.social
Some academics and administrators are brave in the face of fascism.

Some are not.

Some are complicit.

Some are apologists.

It's not that hard to tell them apart.
lizcgil.bsky.social
Nerd that I am, this album (and all the hype/marketing/lead-up to it) reminded me a lot of the phrase “bread and circuses” - attempting to placate and distract the masses with meaningless panache while fear and rage and desperation boil over - but this 15 year old also got it nailed
thejonesest.bsky.social
My 15 year old daughter, a Swift fan but not, she insists, a Swiftie, said the new album sounds like it was made to be played in Target while people are shopping.
Reposted by Liz Gil
cooperlund.online
There's a huge dissonance between Rolling Stone's five star review of Taylor Swift and the organic chatter about it, and it means I'm willing to say this - Taylor Swift has entered the zone inhabited by the Rolling Stones and U2. She is Too Big To Fail.
Reposted by Liz Gil
marisakabas.bsky.social
NEW—US Department of Education sent out standard Out of Office language to employees on Wednesday in light of shutdown. Later yesterday, workers tell me they found someone had updated their auto-responses without consent to a new one blaming Democrats.

Version of original on left, updated on right:
Thank you for your email. There is a temporary shutdown of the U.S. government due to a lapse in appropriations. I will respond to your message as soon as possible after the temporary shutdown ends. Please visit ED.gov for the latest information on the
Department's operational status.
Thank you. Thank you for contacting me. On September 19, 2025, the House of Representatives passed H.R. 5371, a clean continuing resolution. Unfortunately, Democrat Senators are blocking passage of H.R. 5371 in the Senate which has led to a lapse in appropriations. Due to the lapse in appropriations I am currently in furlough status. I will respond to emails once government functions resume.
lizcgil.bsky.social
(me seeing Gulf of America on the in-flight map) “et tu, JetBlue”
lizcgil.bsky.social
With our genes, the likelihood of them becoming professional athletes is slim to none. Vegas gambling is safer
lizcgil.bsky.social
He doesn’t deserve u
lizcgil.bsky.social
Being surrounded by screaming children on this plane and thinking about that $5k baby bonus is high comedy. There is not enough money in the world. In the universe, even
lizcgil.bsky.social
Wait why is this screenshot cut off :( I wanted to see Austin nail this :(
lizcgil.bsky.social
A devastating loss and a resounding call to action to the Difficult Woman community to keep rising up and honoring her memory 💙
jay.bsky.team
“It actually doesn’t take much to be considered a difficult woman. That’s why there are so many of us.”
― Jane Goodall

💙 RIP to a real one. My childhood hero
Jane Goodall with monarch butterfly scarf
lizcgil.bsky.social
‘“Someone who says I'm against abortion but is in favor of the death penalty is not really pro-life,’ Pope Leo said. ‘And someone who says I'm against abortion but I'm in agreement with the inhuman treatment of immigrants in the United States, I don't know if that's pro-life.’”

Ok go off!!! 🔥🔥