Housing Director Posts ‘Video Proof’ in Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook’s Mortgage Fraud Case
Federal housing Finance Agency Director William Pulte shared video evidence claiming that Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook engaged in mortgage fraud by misrepresenting her primary residence. Cook, a Biden appointee, was fired last month by President Donald Trump over allegations that she listed two different properties-a home in Ann Arbor, Michigan, adn a condo in Atlanta, Georgia-as her primary residence in mortgage applications submitted weeks apart in 2021. This designation matters because loans for primary residences have more favorable terms than those for second homes or investment properties.
Despite her firing, Cook has refused to leave her position, supported by the Federal Reserve while her lawsuit challenging Trump’s dismissal proceeds. The video posted by Pulte shows a journalist visiting the Ann Arbor property, where a man who answered the door said thay were renting the house and that Cook does not live there, contradicting Cook’s claim that it was her personal residence.
Pulte has filed multiple criminal referrals against Cook, alleging fraudulent declarations regarding three different properties, including misuse of classifications between primary residences, second homes, and investment or rental properties. He emphasized that someone in Cook’s position at the Federal Reserve should accurately fill out mortgage applications. Pulte also urged Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell to call for Cook’s resignation.
The dispute takes place amid ongoing criticism by Trump and Republican lawmakers over the Federal reserve’s monetary policies, particularly its decision to keep interest rates high, which they argue is costly to the U.S. economy.
Federal Housing Finance Agency Director William Pulte d a journalist’s video on Tuesday that he said offers proof that Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook engaged in mortgage fraud.
President Donald Trump fired Cook, a Biden appointee, last month over allegations of wrongdoing in relation to two mortgages she took out in 2021. In loan applications filled out within weeks of each other, she allegedly listed both a home in Ann Arbor, Michigan, and a condo in Atlanta, Georgia, as her primary residence.
Loans for “primary residences,” as the Reuters news agency noted, “can carry easier terms than those for second homes or investment properties.”
Cook has refused to leave her job as governor, and the Federal Reserve has backed her, saying she can stay while Cook’s lawsuit claiming Trump wrongfully fired her makes its way through the legal system.
On Tuesday, Pulte posted a video featuring journalist Charlie Duff knocking on the door of what he said was Cook’s property in Ann Arbor.
Duff reported that a man came to the door. “This house is in the news,” he explained. “I was wondering if Lisa Cook lives here, or do you rent?”
“No, we’re just renting,” the man said. “You’ll have to talk to the owner.” The man then closed the door on Duff as he asked for the contact number of the owner.
Pulte posted regarding the interchange, “We have just received video proof that Lisa Cook’s declared ‘PRIMARY RESIDENCE’ is being RENTED out to tenants. Cook RECENTLY CLAIMED to the U.S. Government that it was her PERSONAL RESIDENCE, but she’s renting it out?”
NEW: VIDEO PROOF
We have just received video proof that Lisa Cook’s declared “PRIMARY RESIDENCE” is being RENTED out to tenants.
Cook RECENTLY CLAIMED to the U.S. Government that it was her PERSONAL RESIDENCE, but she’s renting it out?
Good journalism, @Charlieleduff pic.twitter.com/YMIN2dHJGm
— Pulte (@pulte) September 2, 2025
A reporter asked Pulte at the White House on Tuesday why he had made a second criminal referral if Cook had already been fired by Trump.
“Because once we dug in more, we found more,” he answered. “She said she had a second home, but then in her disclosures to the U.S. government, she called it an investment and rental property.”
“Investments and rental properties are different than second homes, and back in that time frame, 2021, where she took out these three mortgages, you had different rates for these different types of classifications,” Pulte continued.
U.S. Director of Federal Housing @Pulte on second criminal referral against Fed Gov. Lisa Cook: “If you’re going to be in charge of the Federal Reserve, damn you better sure know how to fill out a mortgage application.” pic.twitter.com/gpZjExPIm4
— CSPAN (@cspan) September 2, 2025
He told reporters that Cook filled out a mortgage application for the Ann Arbor property, and then two weeks later filled out another for her Atlanta property.
“She declares both of them as her primary residence. Then you go back four months from that, she took out another loan, we’re now finding, on a third property, saying it was a second home, when really, she declared it as an investment property.”
3 strikes and you’re out.
Today, U.S. Federal Housing sent a 2nd Criminal Referral in the matter of Lisa D. Cook, related to a mortgage on a 3rd property and alleged misrepresentations about her properties to the United States Government during her time as Governor of the… pic.twitter.com/TAH68Mia23
— Pulte (@pulte) August 29, 2025
“If you’re going to be in charge of the Federal Reserve, damn, you’d better sure know how to fill out a mortgage application,” Pulte asserted.
He then argued that Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell should be calling on Cook to resign.
Trump has repeatedly voiced his frustration with Powell and the governors at the Federal Reserve for keeping interest rates higher in the U.S. than in most other industrialized countries.
In a public note to Powell June 30, accompanied by a chart of other nations’ interest rates around the world, Trump wrote, “Jerome, you are, as usual, ‘too late.’ You have cost the USA a fortune — and continue to do so.”
Donald J. Trump 06.30.25 01:09 PM EST
Jerome “Too Late” Powell, and his entire Board, should be ashamed of themselves for allowing this to happen to the United States. They have one of the easiest, yet most prestigious, jobs in America, and they have FAILED — And… pic.twitter.com/hXKHbZ7R9l
— Fan Donald J. Trump Posts From (@TrumpDailyPosts) June 30, 2025
He added, “You should lower the rate — by a lot! Hundreds of billions of dollars being lost! No inflation.”
Republican Sen. Bernie Moreno of Ohio, who serves on the Senate’s banking and budget committees, told Fox News at the time that the Federal Reserve’s decision to keep the interest rate at the current level is costing the American taxpayer over $400 billion per year in interest payments on debt.
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