New York Attorney General Letitia James has been referred for potential prosecution over allegations of mortgage fraud, according to documents obtained by Fox News. The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) issued a criminal referral to the Department of Justice (DOJ) on Tuesday, April 15th, accusing James of falsifying records about mortgage applications.
FHFA Director William Pulte outlined in a letter to Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi that James had allegedly misrepresented her primary residence status to secure favorable mortgage terms. Specifically, James reportedly listed a Virginia property as her principal residence in 2023 while serving as New York’s Attorney General. As a state official, she is legally required to claim her primary residence as being in New York, raising concerns that this misrepresentation allowed her to obtain a more advantageous loan.
James is also accused of misrepresenting a property she purchased in Brooklyn. She reportedly listed it as a four-unit structure in mortgage documents and building permit applications despite the property containing five units. Pulte noted that these misstatements may have enabled James to receive a different and more favorable loan rate.
Pulte also included documents from 1983 and 2000, showing James and her father—listed as co-signers—described as “husband and wife.” While dated, the FHFA says this raises questions about the accuracy of past mortgage filings.
According to the referral, the allegations could potentially amount to wire fraud, mail fraud, bank fraud, and false statements to a financial institution.
The criminal referral follows James’ high-profile civil fraud case against President Donald Trump. That case resulted in a $454 million judgment centered on allegations of financial misrepresentation and inflated property valuations. James’ pursuit of the case drew national attention and significantly intensified her conflict with Trump and his allies.
The Justice Department has not yet commented on whether it will pursue the referral.
