LETITIA JAMES NY AG CRIMINAL REFERRAL
OF ALL THE ATTORNEYS LETITIA JAMES COULD HAVE CHOSEN- SHECHOSE HUNTER BIDEN'S ATTORNEY
BY SNN.BZ LEGAL EAGLE
Letitia James, already facing real estate fraud charges, has chosen Hunter Biden’s atty to defend her and write to Pam Bondi. Choosing an attorney that represents Hunter Biden, just reeks of desperation. Now, whenever Letitia James name comes up, people will link her to crack-cocaine addicted Hunter Biden, a junkie.
New York Attorney General Letitia James has built a reputation as a formidable prosecutor, taking on high-profile targets such as former President Donald Trump, the Trump Organization, and the National Rifle Association (NRA). Her aggressive pursuit of civil and criminal cases has earned her both praise as a defender of justice and criticism as a politically motivated actor. However, recent allegations of mortgage fraud leveled against James herself have cast a shadow over her tenure, raising questions about hypocrisy and the integrity of her office. These claims, detailed in a criminal referral sent by the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) to the Department of Justice (DOJ), suggest that James may have engaged in the very type of financial misconduct she has accused others of committing. This article examines the allegations against James, her legal battles with Trump, and the broader context of her career, while critically assessing the available evidence.
Background: Letitia James’ Rise to Power
Letitia James, born in Brooklyn, New York, made history as the first woman and first Black person elected as New York’s Attorney General in 2018. A career prosecutor with a law degree from Howard University, James campaigned on a platform of accountability, vowing to hold powerful figures accountable for alleged wrongdoing. Her tenure has been marked by high-profile cases, including lawsuits against the NRA, former Governor Andrew Cuomo, and the Trump Organization. James has positioned herself as a champion of fairness, famously stating, “No one is above the law,” a mantra that has defined her public persona.
However, critics, including Trump and his supporters, have accused James of leveraging her office for political gain, particularly in her relentless pursuit of the former president. Her campaign rhetoric, which included promises to “take on” Trump, has fueled allegations of bias. Now, with a criminal referral accusing her of mortgage fraud, James faces scrutiny that threatens to undermine her credibility and legacy.
The Criminal Referral: Allegations of Mortgage Fraud
On April 15, 2025, the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA), led by Director William Pulte, sent a criminal referral to the DOJ, accusing Letitia James of mortgage fraud. The referral, addressed to Attorney General Pam Bondi and Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche, alleges that James falsified records to secure favorable loan terms for two properties: a single-family home in Norfolk, Virginia, and a multi-family dwelling in Brooklyn, New York. The accusations, first reported by Sam Antar’s White Collar Fraud blog, have been amplified by conservative media outlets and Trump allies, who view them as evidence of James’ hypocrisy.
The Virginia Property
In August 2023, weeks before launching a landmark civil fraud case against the Trump Organization, James co-signed a $218,780 mortgage with her relative, Shamice Thompson-Hairston, to purchase a $240,000 home in Norfolk, Virginia. A “specific power of attorney” document signed on August 17, 2023, authorized Thompson-Hairston to act on James’ behalf, and a land record stipulated that both women would “occupy, establish, and use” the property as their “principal residence” within 60 days and maintain it as such for at least one year.
The referral alleges that James falsely claimed the Virginia property as her principal residence, a designation that can secure more favorable mortgage terms or tax benefits. As a New York elected official, James is required to maintain her principal residence in New York, raising questions about the veracity of her claims. If she did not intend to use the Virginia home as her primary residence, she could face charges of federal mortgage or tax fraud for misrepresenting her status to lenders. Conversely, if she did establish residency in Virginia, she may have violated New York residency laws governing her eligibility to serve as Attorney General.
The Brooklyn Property
The referral also points to a five-family dwelling in Brooklyn, purchased by James on February 14, 2001, just weeks after a Certificate of Occupancy classified it as a five-unit property. According to FHFA Director Pulte, James “consistently misrepresented” the property as a four-unit structure in building permit applications and mortgage documents. This misclassification could have allowed James to secure a lower mortgage interest rate—potentially by as much as 1%—under the federal Home Affordable Modification Program (HAMP), resulting in reduced monthly payments.
Documents from the New York City Department of Buildings confirm the property’s five-unit status, a classification unchanged for over two decades. The referral suggests that James’ repeated misrepresentation of the property’s status constitutes a pattern of deceptive practices.
Additional Allegations: Misrepresenting Marital Status
One of the more sensational claims in the referral, reported by Fox News, alleges that James listed her father as her husband in mortgage applications for properties purchased “decades ago.” Legal expert Jonathan Turley, speaking on “The Ingraham Angle,” described this as a potentially misleading statement, noting that such falsifications could violate federal laws requiring “knowing false statements” under statutes like 18 U.S.C. § 1014. However, the referral does not provide specific documents or dates for this claim, and it remains unclear whether it pertains to the Virginia or Brooklyn properties or earlier transactions.
The DOJ has not yet confirmed whether it will open a formal investigation, and James’ office did not respond to requests for comment from multiple outlets, including Fox News and Newsweek. The lack of a response leaves open questions about whether James can explain discrepancies, such as potential remodeling of the Brooklyn property or errors in loan applications.
Potential Charges
The referral suggests James could face charges of wire fraud, mail fraud, bank fraud, and making false statements to a financial institution. Former federal prosecutor Neama Rahmani told Newsweek that these are federal crimes, potentially prosecutable by the DOJ, though he noted that the allegations are unlikely to affect the outcome of James’ civil fraud case against Trump.
James’ Prosecution of Trump: A Parallel Narrative
The irony of the allegations against James is not lost on commentators, particularly given her aggressive pursuit of Donald Trump for similar financial misconduct. In September 2022, James filed a sprawling civil lawsuit against Trump, his three adult children (Donald Jr., Ivanka, and Eric), and the Trump Organization, alleging a decade-long scheme of fraudulently inflating asset values to secure favorable loan and insurance terms. The lawsuit, which sought $250 million in penalties and a five-year ban on the Trumps’ real estate activities in New York, culminated in a February 2024 ruling ordering Trump to pay $454 million (now over $485 million with interest). The case is currently under appeal.
James also made a criminal referral to federal prosecutors and the IRS in 2022, alleging that Trump’s actions violated federal laws, including bank fraud and issuing false statements to financial institutions. While the civil case resulted in a significant judgment, no federal criminal charges have been filed based on James’ referral.
Critics, including Trump’s legal team and conservative commentators, argue that James’ case was politically motivated. Trump attorney Alina Habba called it an “unchecked abuse of authority,” and Trump himself labeled James a “racist” and “corrupt politician” on Truth Social. Posts on X echo this sentiment, with users like
@mrddmia claiming James pursued “bogus fraud charges” for a “non-crime” of repaying loans in full.
The allegations against James mirror the accusations she leveled against Trump: falsifying records to secure better loan terms. Legal scholar Jonathan Turley noted the “crushing irony,” stating, “If we apply the Letitia James standard that she created, there’d be little question here. This seems pretty straightforward.” Whether James’ actions rise to the level of criminality remains unproven, but the parallels have fueled accusations of hypocrisy.
Other Legal Actions and Controversies
Beyond her pursuit of Trump, James has taken on other powerful entities, reinforcing her image as a crusading prosecutor. In 2020, she sued the NRA, accusing its executives of misusing funds for personal gain, a case that resulted in a 2024 verdict ordering repayments of $6.4 million. She also oversaw a sexual harassment investigation into former Governor Andrew Cuomo, contributing to his resignation, and filed lawsuits against the Catholic Church, the NYPD, and Pepsi for various alleged wrongs.
In 2025, James has led at least five legal actions against the second Trump administration, including lawsuits to block the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) from accessing Treasury systems and to challenge cuts to research funding. These efforts have further entrenched her as a thorn in Trump’s side, prompting retaliatory actions such as the revocation of her security clearance in February 2025.
Critics argue that James’ focus on high-profile targets reflects political ambition rather than impartial justice. Her brief 2021 campaign for New York governor, which she suspended to focus on her investigations, added fuel to these claims. However, James has consistently denied political motivations, telling theGrio in 2022, “No one is above the law. I pursue cases based on evidence, based on facts and based on an analysis of the law.”
Political and Legal Implications
The criminal referral against James, while not carrying immediate legal weight, has significant political ramifications. New York City trial attorney Nicole Brenecki told Newsweek that while the allegations may not affect the Trump fraud case’s outcome, they could damage James’ political standing. “Ms. James will likely be scrutinized and criticized by her political opponents for doing exactly what she accused Trump of in that case,” Brenecki said.
Trump has capitalized on the allegations, posting on Truth Social on April 14, 2025, that James “should resign from her position as New York State Attorney General, IMMEDIATELY.” Posts on X, such as those by
@DeepBlueCrypto, frame the referral as “poetic justice” for James’ “lawfare” against Trump. However, former federal prosecutor Neama Rahmani cautioned that the referral appears to be a targeted move by the Trump administration, noting, “There’s obviously no question that Letitia James is a target of Donald Trump.”
The referral’s timing—coming weeks after James’ latest lawsuits against the Trump administration—suggests a retaliatory motive. The involvement of FHFA Director William Pulte, appointed under Trump, and the referral’s delivery to Trump-appointed Attorney General Pam Bondi further fuel perceptions of political vendetta.
Critical Assessment
The allegations against James are serious but remain unproven. The referral provides specific claims about the Virginia and Brooklyn properties, supported by documents like the power of attorney and Certificates of Occupancy. However, the claim that James listed her father as her husband lacks corroborating evidence in the public domain and appears speculative without further documentation. James’ silence on the matter hinders a full understanding of her defense, but it is possible that errors in loan applications or property classifications were unintentional or corrected.
The parallels between James’ alleged actions and her accusations against Trump are striking, but the scale differs significantly. Trump’s case involved inflating asset values by billions across multiple properties, while James’ alleged misrepresentations involve two properties and potentially smaller financial gains. Nonetheless, the optics are damaging, particularly given James’ insistence on accountability for white-collar crimes.
The referral’s credibility is undermined by its political context. The Trump administration’s involvement, combined with James’ ongoing legal challenges to Trump’s policies, suggests a tit-for-tat dynamic. Without an independent investigation, the allegations risk being dismissed as partisan retaliation. Conversely, if substantiated, they could lead to serious legal consequences for James, including removal from office.
Letitia James has been a polarizing figure, lauded for her tenacity in pursuing powerful figures and criticized for alleged political bias. The criminal referral accusing her of mortgage fraud—falsifying residency claims, misrepresenting property units, and possibly misstating her marital status—threatens to tarnish her legacy. While the allegations draw a compelling parallel to her prosecution of Trump for similar financial misconduct, they remain unproven and entangled in political motives.
As the DOJ considers whether to investigate, James’ response will be critical. Her silence thus far leaves room for speculation, but a robust defense could clarify discrepancies and restore confidence in her office. For now, the saga underscores the complexities of holding public officials accountable in a polarized climate, where justice and retribution often blur. Whether James emerges unscathed or faces legal consequences, her case serves as a reminder that no one, indeed, is above the law.
