Who is Letitia James? New York attorney general who could spell doom for the Trump Organization

Donald Trump's fraud trials started on Monday, bringing the former US president face-to-face with his longest-running antagonist, Letitia James, a New York-based attorney general who filed the case against him, his adult sons and their family business. 

The fraud trial can demolish Trump Organization, the former president's enormous real-estate empire. For some people, 64-year-old Letitia James might be a woman chasing publicity, but for others, she is a hero fighting for a cause. 

Here’s everything you need to know about Letitia James.

Born in 1958, Letitia Ann "Tish" James hails from Brooklyn, New York, where she attended the public schools in the city before receiving her law degree from Howard University in Washington. 

James began her career as a public defender and entered NYC politics as a council member. Later, she promoted herself to a public advocate. In 2018, she became the NYC state attorney general. 

On 21 September, 2022, Letitia filed a lawsuit against Donald Trump, his associates, family members and businesses in the New York Supreme Court. 

Letitia accused Donald Trump and the Trump Organization of "repeatedly and persistently manipulating the value of assets to induce banks to lend money to the Trump Organization on more favourable terms than would otherwise have been available to the company to pay lower taxes, to satisfy continuing loan agreements, and to induce insurance companies to provide insurance coverage for higher limits and at lower premiums."

As per the 65 witnesses and several documents the prosecutor and her team reviewed, Donald Trump submitted over 200 false and misleading asset valuations. 

Last week, Judge Arthur Engoron ruled Trump and his association committed fraud while building his real estate empire by tricking banks, insurers and others. He overvalued his assets and exaggerated his net worth on paperwork to make deals and secure finance, the court found. 

Judge Engoron also revoked the business licenses of Donald Trump and his sons, Donald Trump Jr and Eric Trump, preventing them from doing business in the country.

Donald Trump has called Letitia James a "renegade and out of control prosecutor."

He dismissed her as a "crazy and terrible person" and her actions as a "witch-hunt."

On the trial's opening day, he fired a barrage of personal attacks on Judge Engoron and Letitia James outside the courtroom. 

The fraud trial, expected to last more than a month, coincides with Trump's latest White House run. After Letitia James' civil case ends, the former president will face four criminal trials.

(With inputs from agencies)