Trump Housing Chief Refers New Insurance-Fraud Probe of NY Attorney General
FHFA Director Bill Pulte sent two criminal referrals alleging homeowners insurance fraud by New York Attorney General Letitia James to U.S. attorneys in Florida and Illinois.
New York PostNY AG Letitia James hit with two more criminal referrals alleging possible insurance fraud
The GuardianTrump housing chief requests new criminal investigation into Letitia James
AlterNetTrump hunts after longtime critic in 'improper revenge campaign'
The Post MillennialLetitia James referred for criminal prosecution for 2nd time over insurance fraud
Overview
FHFA Director Bill Pulte sent two criminal referrals alleging homeowners insurance fraud by New York Attorney General Letitia James to U.S. attorneys in the Southern District of Florida and the Northern District of Illinois.
The referrals follow an October 2025 federal indictment against James that was dismissed after a judge found interim U.S. Attorney Lindsey Halligan was improperly appointed.
James’s lawyer Abbe Lowell called the referrals politically motivated and said they were part of an improper revenge campaign against the attorney general.
Both referrals cite social media posts by Mike Davis and allege false statements to Allstate and to Universal Property Insurance about occupancy of a Norfolk, Virginia, property.
A Justice Department spokesperson confirmed the U.S. Attorney's Offices received the referrals, and prosecutors are separately probing James’s financial transactions with her hairdresser, Iyesata Marsh.
Analysis
Center-leaning sources frame the referrals as politically fraught by foregrounding prior dismissals, legal setbacks, and critics' language that portrays the action as retaliation. Editorial choices—calling James a “longstanding Trump foe,” emphasizing dismissed indictments, and prioritizing quotes accusing the administration of “petty political payback”—collectively cast doubt on prosecutorial legitimacy.
FAQ
Bill Pulte is the Director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA), sworn in on March 14, 2025, after nomination by President Trump and Senate confirmation. He sent the criminal referrals alleging insurance fraud by NY AG Letitia James to U.S. attorneys in Florida and Illinois.
The referrals allege homeowners insurance fraud by James, citing her social media posts by Mike Davis and false statements to Allstate and Universal Property Insurance about the occupancy of a property in Norfolk, Virginia.
James’s lawyer, Abbe Lowell, called the referrals politically motivated and part of an improper revenge campaign against the attorney general.
The referrals follow an October 2025 federal indictment against James that was dismissed because a judge found interim U.S. Attorney Lindsey Halligan was improperly appointed.
Prosecutors are separately probing James’s financial transactions with her hairdresser, Iyesata Marsh, and a Justice Department spokesperson confirmed receipt of the referrals.
