Trump Administration Refers NY AG Letitia James for Possible Federal Charges Over Mortgage Discrepancies

The Trump administration has escalated its legal offensive against Letitia James, the New York Attorney General, by referring her for possible federal criminal charges. This referral, revealed in a series of reports by Fox News, New York Post, and Newsweek within the past few hours, centers on alleged mortgage discrepancies linked to properties in Virginia and Brooklyn.

According to reports, the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) Director William Pulte sent a formal referral to Attorney General Pam Bondi and Deputy AG Todd Blanche. The letter alleges that James falsely claimed a Virginia residence as her primary home in August 2023 to secure favorable mortgage terms, despite her role as the sitting attorney general in New York.

Further complications have emerged surrounding a Brooklyn property James purchased in 2001. Allegations suggest she misrepresented the number of units in the building—reportedly declaring four instead of five—on mortgage and permit documents, potentially manipulating her eligibility for lower federal housing rates.

One of the most striking revelations involves older mortgage filings from the 1980s and early 2000s. In these documents, James and her father allegedly identified themselves as “husband and wife,” raising legal concerns regarding the validity and truthfulness of those submissions.

These allegations come shortly after James led the civil case against Donald Trump and the Trump Organization, resulting in a $454 million fraud judgment. The timing has led to increased political tension, with accusations of retaliatory legal maneuvering by the Trump administration.

In a statement, a spokesperson for James pushed back strongly:

“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.”

The Trump camp has responded just as forcefully. In a Truth Social post, Donald Trump wrote:

“Letitia James, a totally corrupt politician, should resign from her position as New York State Attorney General, IMMEDIATELY.”

Meanwhile, Newsweek reported that documents related to James’ residence status could lead to legal scrutiny regarding both the mortgage applications and broader financial disclosures. Legal experts note that possible charges may include bank fraud, mail fraud, wire fraud, and making false statements to federal institutions.

At present, the U.S. Department of Justice has not confirmed whether a formal investigation will be launched. James’ office is also reportedly conducting a preliminary inquiry into potential insider trading surrounding the Trump administration’s recent tariff delay announcement, though that review remains in its early stages.

With public interest in Letitia James spiking on Google Trends, including search terms like “letitia james news” and “letitia james charges,” this development is set to dominate the national legal and political conversation in the coming days.