Trump Ally Seeks New DOJ Prosecution of Letitia James Over Insurance Claims

A former Trump administration official, Bill Pulte, has filed new criminal referrals with the Department of Justice (DOJ) alleging that New York Attorney General Letitia James committed insurance fraud. The referrals, made to U.S. Attorneys in Florida and Illinois, claim James made false representations on homeowners insurance applications regarding the occupancy of properties she owns in Norfolk, Virginia.

Background and Allegations

Pulte, currently the Director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency, alleges that James misrepresented details about who resided in the Virginia properties on applications submitted to Allstate Insurance Company and Universal Property Insurance. Specifically, the referrals claim James stated the homes would be occupied by a single adult with no children, while evidence suggests they were occupied by four people – three children and her niece – at times. Another allegation centers on a claim that a property would be unoccupied for five months of the year, which Pulte asserts is false.

Referral Details and DOJ Response

The two criminal referrals were sent on Wednesday, March 25, 2026, to U.S. Attorney Jason Quiñones in the Southern District of Florida, and U.S. Attorney Andrew Boutros in the Northern District of Illinois, as the respective insurance companies are based in those jurisdictions. The information prompting the referrals originated from posts on X (formerly Twitter) by attorney and media personality Mike Davis, which included publicly available court documents from a previous case against James.

The DOJ has confirmed receipt of the referrals, stating that its U.S. Attorney Offices are reviewing the information. “The Department of Justice can confirm that referrals were received by our US Attorney Offices,” a DOJ spokesperson said.

Previous Legal Challenges and James’ Response

This is not the first attempt to pursue legal action against James. In November 2025, U.S. District Judge Cameron Currie dismissed mortgage fraud charges against James, not on the merits of the allegations, but due to concerns about the legality of the appointment of the DOJ prosecutor who led the case, Lindsey Halligan. This dismissal vacated the previous indictments.

James’ attorney, Abbe Lowell, has characterized the renewed efforts as an “improper revenge campaign” orchestrated by former President Trump and his allies. “Frustrated by repeated failures, where judges and grand juries have rejected their attempts to charge Attorney General James, Trump and his political enablers maintain abusing their power to pursue a vendetta against her by trying to rename, refile, and repeat baseless allegations,” Lowell stated. “They continue this improper revenge campaign instead of helping bring down the rising cost of living in this country.”

Key Takeaways

• Bill Pulte has filed criminal referrals alleging insurance fraud by New York Attorney General Letitia James.
• The allegations center on misrepresentations made on homeowners insurance applications regarding occupancy.
• This follows a previous dismissal of mortgage fraud charges against James due to a procedural issue.
• James’ legal team claims the efforts are politically motivated.