New York Attorney General Letitia James
State Government: Agencies/Departments/Divisions | State Elected - Attorney General
Recent News About New York Attorney General Letitia James
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New York AG's office investigates civilian death involving state police
The New York Attorney General’s Office of Special Investigation (OSI) has initiated an investigation into the death of Ali Ali, who died on September 18, 2024, following an encounter with members of the New York State Police (NYSP) in Woodbury. -
Charges reinstated against former state trooper for death of 11-year-old Monica Goods
New York Attorney General Letitia James released a statement following the Appellate Division, Third Judicial Department of the New York State Supreme Court's ruling to reinstate charges against former New York State Trooper Christopher Baldner. The court ruled that the Office of the Attorney General (OAG) presented sufficient evidence to the grand jury that Baldner acted with depraved indifference. -
Attorney General James' office releases report on Elijah Muhammad's death
New York Attorney General Letitia James’ Office of Special Investigation (OSI) has released its report on the death of Elijah Muhammad, who died on July 10, 2022, while incarcerated in the George R. Vierno Center (GRVC) on Rikers Island. Following a comprehensive investigation, including a review of Department of Correction (DOC) staff incident reports and security camera footage, witness interviews, and legal analysis, OSI concluded that criminal charges would not be pursued. -
Attorney General James' office releases report on Jarrel Garris' death
New York – New York Attorney General Letitia James’ Office of Special Investigation (OSI) today released its report on the death of Jarrel Garris, who died on July 10, 2023, after an encounter with members of the New Rochelle Police Department (NRPD) that occurred on July 3, 2023, in New Rochelle. Following a thorough investigation, which included a review of body-worn camera footage and security camera video, interviews with involved officers, and comprehensive legal analysis, OSI concluded that a prosecutor would not be able to disprove beyond a reasonable doubt at trial... -
Over 300 NYC apartments returned to affordability after investigation into illegal practices
New York Attorney General Letitia James and New York State Homes and Community Renewal (HCR) Commissioner RuthAnne Visnauskas have announced the return of 263 apartments to rent stabilization and a reduction in rent for an additional 43 apartments across New York City. The affected units, located in Central Brooklyn, Upper Manhattan, and Queens, were previously deregulated or subjected to illegal rent increases by former owners affiliated with Sentinel Real Estate Corporation. -
Attorney General's office releases report on Miguel Romero's death
New York – New York Attorney General Letitia James’ Office of Special Investigation (OSI) released its report on the death of Miguel Romero, who died on November 19, 2022, after an encounter with members of the Nassau County Police Department (NCPD) in Uniondale. Following a thorough investigation, which included review of body-worn camera footage and security footage from a nearby business, interviews with involved officers, and comprehensive legal analysis, OSI determined that a prosecutor would not be able to prove beyond a reasonable doubt at trial that the officer... -
New York officials respond to Instagram's new policies for underage users
New York Attorney General Letitia James and Governor Kathy Hochul issued a joint statement today in response to Instagram's announcement of changes for underage account holders, including adjustments to privacy settings and overnight notifications. The modifications follow New York’s legislation empowering the Office of the Attorney General (OAG) to implement rules aimed at protecting children online and addressing addictive social media feeds. -
Attorney General's office releases report on Joel Capellan's death
New York Attorney General Letitia James’ Office of Special Investigation (OSI) released its report on the death of Joel Capellan, who died on October 16, 2022, following an encounter with members of the New York City Police Department (NYPD) in Manhattan. The investigation included a review of body-worn camera footage and security camera footage from nearby buildings, interviews with involved officers and witnesses, and comprehensive legal analysis. OSI concluded that a prosecutor would not be able to disprove beyond a reasonable doubt at trial that the officers’ actions were... -
Attorney General's office investigates civilian death involving NYPD in Brooklyn
The New York Attorney General’s Office of Special Investigation (OSI) has initiated an investigation into the death of Vilmond Jean-Baptiste, who died on September 13, 2024, following an encounter with members of the New York City Police Department (NYPD) in Brooklyn. -
Attorney General's office investigates civilian death involving NYPD officer
The New York Attorney General’s Office of Special Investigation (OSI) has initiated an investigation into the death of Gerardo Santiago De Los Santos, who died on September 13, 2024, following a vehicle collision involving a member of the New York City Police Department (NYPD) in Brooklyn. -
Attorney general announces sentencing of disbarred attorney for role in Queens deed theft ring
New York Attorney General Letitia James announced the sentencing of disbarred attorney Anyekache Hercules to one and a half to three years in prison for her involvement in a deed theft operation targeting homes in Jamaica and St. Albans, Queens. These properties were owned by elderly or disabled New Yorkers or their estates. Hercules, who pleaded guilty in May 2024 to Scheme to Defraud in the First Degree, was sentenced yesterday in Queens County Court. -
Attorney General's Office investigates civilian death involving New York State Police
The New York Attorney General’s Office of Special Investigation (OSI) has initiated an inquiry into the death of James Dellea, who passed away on September 11, 2024, following an encounter with members of the New York State Police (NYSP) in Saratoga Springs. -
Attorney General secures $7.6M settlement over use of banned medicaid provider
New York Attorney General Letitia James has announced a settlement with Fidelis Care for billing Medicaid for services provided by Cornerstone Herkimer, LLC, despite the company's sole owner and director, Ward Halverson, being excluded from the Medicaid Program. Halverson was banned from Medicaid in 2017 after being convicted of firing a BB gun at a child. Under the terms of the settlement, Fidelis will repay more than $7.6 million to the Medicaid program and implement systematic status checks against federal and state lists of excluded providers. -
Coalition urges DOJ probe into Texas raids targeting Latino campaigners
New York Attorney General Letitia James has led a coalition of 16 attorneys general in urging the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) to initiate a civil rights investigation into recent raids by the Texas attorney general’s office. These raids, conducted on August 20, 2024, targeted Latino voting rights organizers, candidates for office, and volunteers. Ordered by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, the raids resulted in the seizure of personal property from local organizers and candidates. -
Attorney General James’ office releases report on Michael Nieves' death
New York Attorney General Letitia James’ Office of Special Investigation (OSI) has released its report on the death of Michael Nieves, who died on August 30, 2022, following an incident on August 25, 2022, while incarcerated at the Anna M. Kross Center (AMKC) on Rikers Island. The investigation included a review of security camera footage, body-worn camera footage, shift logbooks, staffing schedules, witness interviews, and legal analysis. OSI concluded that criminal charges would not be pursued against the correction officers involved. -
Coalition urges Congress for mandatory warning labels on social media
New York Attorney General Letitia James today co-led a bipartisan coalition of 42 attorneys general in urging Congress to implement warning labels on social media platforms as recommended by the United States Surgeon General. A surgeon general’s warning label, which requires congressional authorization, would serve as a regular reminder of social media’s significant mental health harms for adolescents. This letter is part of Attorney General James’ ongoing leadership in the effort to protect children from emerging technologies, particularly addictive algorithms employed by... -
Contractor sentenced for defrauding Western New York homeowners out of $230K
New York Attorney General Letitia James and State Police Superintendent Steven G. James announced the conviction and sentencing of Nathaniel Wagner, 42, of Newfane, NY, for operating a residential contracting fraud scheme in Niagara County. From December 2019 to July 2022, Wagner stole more than $230,000 from over a dozen homeowners throughout Niagara County by taking large up-front deposits and spending the money on personal expenses instead of performing any work. Wagner previously pleaded guilty to Grand Larceny in the Third Degree and Scheme to Defraud in the First Degree... -
New York AG releases guide against AI-generated election misinformation
New York Attorney General Letitia James has released a guide titled “Protecting New Yorkers from AI-Generated Election Misinformation” to help residents identify and report misinformation created by artificial intelligence (AI) concerning the upcoming November elections. AI tools can produce fake or misleading videos, images, or audio that impersonate individuals or candidates, potentially influencing voter behavior. Such content can cause confusion and have significant impacts when rapidly disseminated through social media platforms. -
Attorney General releases footage from investigation into Andre Joseph Mayfield's death
New York Attorney General Letitia James has released police body-worn camera footage and security footage obtained as part of the ongoing investigation into the death of Andre Joseph Mayfield. Mayfield died on May 26, 2024, following an encounter with members of the New York City Police Department (NYPD) in Brooklyn. -
Attorney General's office investigates civilian death involving Orchard Park police
The New York Attorney General’s Office of Special Investigation (OSI) has initiated an investigation into the death of a civilian following an encounter with members of the Orchard Park Police Department (OPPD) in Orchard Park, Erie County. The incident occurred on August 30, 2024.