‘Will Not Be Intimidated By Bullies’: Letitia James Takes a Stand After Trump Administration Comes After Her with Mortgage Fraud Charges
The Trump administration has taken aim at New York Attorney General Letitia James with a federal referral for potential criminal prosecution over allegations of mortgage fraud.
In a letter to U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi, William Pulte, the director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency, wrote that James “has, in multiple instances, falsified bank documents and property records to acquire government-backed assistance and loans and more favorable loan terms.”
Pulte alleged that in 2023, James declared a property she owns in Virginia her “principal residence,” despite living in New York and serving as the state AG.
“It appears Ms James’ property and mortgage-related misrepresentations may have continued to her recent 2023 Norfolk, VA property purchase in order to secure a lower interest rate and more favorable loan terms,” Pulte wrote.
Pulte also claimed that James purchased a five-unit property in Brooklyn in 2001 with a loan designated for homes with only four units or fewer.
”Spanning the last two decades, Ms. James has consistently misrepresented the same property as only having four units in both building permit applications and numerous mortgage documents and applications,” Pulte wrote. “It appears that Ms. James may have listed the Brooklyn, NY property as four units instead of five units in order to meet the conforming loan requirements, and thus receive better interest rates.”
The referral also accuses James of purchasing another property with her father as the co-signer, but falsely listing them as a married couple on documents dating back to 1983 and 2000.
Pulte stated that James could be charged with wire fraud, mail fraud, bank fraud, and making false statements to a financial institution.
When news broke about the criminal referral, President Donald Trump posted on TruthSocial, “Letitia James, a totally corrupt politician, should resign from her position as New York State Attorney General, IMMEDIATELY. Everyone is trying to MAKE NEW YORK GREAT AGAIN, and it can never be done with this wacky crook in office.”
In response to the allegations, a spokesperson for James’ office told media outlets, “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,” a spokesperson for the New York attorney general’s office said.
Trump repeatedly castigated James when she filed a lawsuit accusing him and his family of inflating the net worth of several Trump Organization assets. A judge found him liable and ordered him to pay $454 million.
The president was embroiled in several court fights in 2023 and 2024. He was found guilty last year of obscuring several “hush money” payments to adult film star Stormy Daniels. He also faced three other criminal indictments that accused him of mishandling classified documents and interfering with the 2020 presidential election.
Trump said James’ lawsuit and the indictments were all part of a politically motivated, corrupt “witch hunt” to thwart his 2024 presidential campaign efforts.
When he was running for a second term in office, he vowed to retaliate against his political adversaries with threats of criminal prosecution that he once faced.