By Lindsay Press
New York State Attorney General Letitia James has been accused of mortgage fraud by William Pulte, the Federal Housing Finance Agency Director. In a letter to U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi and Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche, Pulte wrote about various ways in which James has allegedly committed fraud.
Pulte’s allegations include suggesting that James could be responsible for various forms of fraudulent activities, including “wire fraud,” “bank fraud,” “mail fraud,” “false statements to a financial institution,” as well as “other relevant state and federal laws.”
James allegedly documented that a home in Virginia was to be her “principal residence,” although she is a government leader in the State of New York. Pulte also claims that James allegedly “falsified records” to secure a home loan for the Virginia residence.
“Based on media reports, Ms. Letitia James has, in multiple instances, falsified bank documents and property records to acquire government-backed assistance and loans and more favorable loan terms,” Pulte wrote in the letter. Pulte then specified the allegations that potentially included the following:
- Falsifying residence status for Norfolk, Virginia-based home to guarantee a lower mortgage rate
- Misrepresenting property descriptions to meet strict mandates for government-backed loans and government aid
Pulte also questioned James’ character with the allegation that she listed her father as her husband to secure a home mortgage. “While this was a long time ago, it raises serious concerns about the validity of Ms. James’ representations on mortgage applications,” the letter states.
Other financial controversies that James has been involved in include, according to an article from White Collar Fraud:
- Allegedly underreported campaign spending by 50%
- Allegedly understated the rental income of $44,400 on her Brooklyn property, reporting it in the range of “$5,000-$43,999.99”
- Financial disclosure forms showed that, between 2021 and 2022, the value of the Broklyn properties inexplicably increased from “$2.25 Million – $2.5 Million to $3.25 Million – $3.5 Million,” while the assessed value declined by 7.58%
- Allegedly failed to disclose years of rental income in Brooklyn and Virginia
Long Island Life & Politics reached out to Governor Kathy Hochul’s office regarding James’ allegations. “I’m not familiar with the details, but this is an administration [Trump Administration] that is often playing fast and loose with the rules,” said Hochul when asked about the allegations at a New York City event. “I think we’ve seen that in every level, and I have confidence that this will be put to bed soon. But, I’m very proud to work with the Attorney General.”
“I think that she’ll be able to show evidence that these are greatly exaggerated as constituting mortgage fraud,” added Hochul. “There’s got to be an intentionality around it, not a mistake where maybe the father checks the wrong box and calls his daughter the wife or something like that.”
Long Island Life & Politics reached out to James’ office. “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 for the Office of the Attorney General. “She will not be intimidated by bullies – no matter who they are.”
LILP also reached out to Governor Kathy Hochul’s office, but did not hear back as of press time.