Posted on April 16, 2025

Trump Administration Refers NY AG Letitia James for Potential Prosecution Over Alleged Mortgage Fraud

Josh Christenson, New York Post, April 15, 2025

New York Attorney General Letitia James was hit with a federal criminal referral for instances of alleged mortgage fraud on Tuesday, according to a letter obtained by The Post.

Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) Director William Pulte sent the missive to Attorney General Pam Bondi and Deputy AG Todd Blanche, alleging that James had “falsified records” to get home loans for a property in Virginia that she claimed was her “principal residence” in 2023 — while still serving as a New York state prosecutor.

That occurred in late August 2023, weeks before James began her civil fraud trial against the Trump Organization for over-inflating the values of many of its properties, which ended in a $454 million judgment.

In February 2001, James also purchased a five-family dwelling in Brooklyn — but has “consistently misrepresented the same property as only having four units in both building permit applications and numerous mortgage documents and applications,” the letter noted.

Pulte attached several documents also showing that James purchased another property with her father as a co-signer — but falsely listed the pair as “husband and wife” in 1983 and 2000.

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James granted power of attorney to Shamice Thompson-Hairston, a relative, to sign an Aug. 17, 2023, document authorizing the purchase of the first property, according to legal filings reported by the outlet.

She secured a $218,780 mortgage to do so.

Loans secured for the latter property could have reduced her mortgage interest rate by as much as 1% and had lower monthly payments under the federal Home Assistance Modification Program (HAMP) since it was listed as containing just four units, according to Pulte.

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