ALBANY, N.Y. (NEXSTAR) — Federal housing regulators referred allegations against New York Attorney General Letitia James to the Department of Justice on April 14. According to U.S. Federal Housing Finance Agency Director William Pulte, James counts Virginia as her principal residence, pretends a five-unit New York property only has four units, and lists her father as her husband on a mortgage application—all for lower interest rates and favorable loan terms.
As the FHFA referral alleged to U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi and Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche, James committed mortgage fraud, falsifying documents on applications for two property mortgages—one in Norfolk, Virginia, and the other in Brooklyn. Pulte’s referral—available to read at the bottom of this story—said that James likely violated several federal statutes, specifically 18 U.S. Code §1343 for wire fraud, §1341 for mail fraud, §1344 for bank fraud, and §1014 for making false statements to a financial institution.
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If proven, the claims could lead to prosecution for one of New York’s highest-ranking officials, who has long argued that “no one is above the law.” The referral relies on media reports and documentation from FHFA. DOJ did not respond to requests for comment.
“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,” said a spokesperson from James’s office. “She will not be intimidated by bullies—no matter who they are.”
According to the referral, in 2023, James allegedly authorized an attorney to act on her behalf, buying the Virginia property to make it her “principal residence.” Even so, she allegedly maintained a public office and residence in New York. A 2024 building permit on her New York property, labeled the “James Residence,” also allegedly listed it as her main home.
According to the referral, New York law requires the Attorney General to reside in-state.
Mortgages on primary residences have lower interest rates, as lenders understand that homeowners keep up better with payments on the home where they actually live. Secondary residences, meanwhile, will have mortgage interest anywhere from a quarter to one percentage point higher.
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In the second case, James bought a home in Brooklyn whose January 2001 certificate of occupancy allegedly showed five units. But when James bought it in February 2001, according to the FHFA referral, she got a conforming loan, available only for properties with four units or less. FHFA explained that James repeated this misrepresentation in a 2011 application for the Home Affordable Modification Program—meant to avoid foreclosures on properties with under four units—and again when refinancing in 2019.
The letter also includes allegations of James and her father signing mortgage documents in 1983 and 2000, portraying them as husband and wife.
Take a look at the criminal referral letter below:
