On May 21, New York Attorney General Letitia James attempted to deflect growing controversy over a criminal referral to the Department of Justice regarding her real estate dealings. Speaking before the Association for a Better New York, James claimed her motives were purely familial.
“In reality, the power of attorney was never used to determine my eligibility for a mortgage for my niece for a home in the state of Virginia,” James said. “My niece has children, and because I’m a good aunt, I wanted her to have a home.”
This statement was in reference to allegations raised by forensic fraud investigator Sam Antar and widely circulated by The Gateway Pundit. At issue is a 2023 mortgage James co-signed for a property at 604 Sterling Street in Norfolk, Virginia. She filed a notarized power of attorney on August 17, 2023, declaring under oath that she “intended to occupy this property as her principal residence.” Yet at the time, James was legally domiciled in Brooklyn, New York, serving as state Attorney General.
William Pulte, Director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency, cited this declaration in an April 14, 2025 letter to U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi, alleging that James may have falsified bank documents and property records to acquire government-backed assistance and loans with more favorable terms.