New York Attorney General Letitia James, known for her legal actions against former President Donald Trump, is currently entangled in allegations of mortgage fraud. William Pulte, director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA), has sent a letter to U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi claiming that James "has, in multiple instances, falsified bank documents and property records to acquire government backed assistance and loans and more favorable loan terms," as reported by CBS News New York.
The details of the allegations state that James may have falsely designated her residence status at a Norfolk, Virginia home to secure a better mortgage rate. Pulte suggests that in 2023, James granted power of attorney to Shamice Thompson-Hairston to make the Norfolk property her "principal residence," despite her role and physical presence in New York State. “Ms. James was the sitting Attorney General of New York and is required by law to have her primary residence in the state of New York — even though her mortgage applications list her intent to have the Norfolk, VA, property as her primary home,” Pulte's letter elaborated, according to The New York Post.
Furthermore, Pulte alleges that James misrepresented the number of units at a Brooklyn property she bought in 2001 to benefit from a loan only available for homes with four units or fewer. This allegedly long-standing misrepresentation could lead to various criminal charges, according to Pulte, including wire fraud, mail fraud, bank fraud, and making false statements to a financial institution.
A spokesperson for James's office responded to the accusations with determination, "Attorney General James is focused every single day on protecting New Yorkers, especially as this Administration weaponizes the federal government against the rule of law and the Constitution. She will not be intimidated by bullies — no matter who they are," as conveyed to CBS News New York. These allegations come as a stark contrast to James's previous legal efforts, where in 2022 she successfully sued Donald Trump over financial fraud, leading to a significant $354 million fine against Trump and the Trump Organization — a total that has since increased due to interest accrued during the appeals process.
Back in 2019, James had made it a mantra that "no one is above the law" during her investigation into the Trump Organization. Now, with the tables turned, Professor Jonathan Turley told Fox News host Laura Ingraham, in an interview obtained by The New York Post, that the charges James brought against Trump could now be relevant to her situation, “This is a person who prosecuted Trump for everything short of ripping a label off a mattress, and among the charges that were brought in New York, in just the civil but the criminal case, was making false or misleading statements to financial institutions.” Turley described the allegations against James as "perfectly crushing" given the irony of her own legal predicament. The documents included in the criminal referral by Pulte, according to Turley, "are quite damning."
.jpg){kind=link}