Bill Pulte, who runs the Federal Housing Finance Agency under President Donald Trump, confirmed Thursday that he filed a criminal referral against Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook for alleged mortgage fraud.

Federal Housing Finance Agency Director Bill Pulte accused Cook of mortgage fraud this week, alleging she claimed two properties as her primary address.

President Trump has been using the bully pulpit of his presidency to go after the Federal Reserve with a vengeance, and Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) chief William Pulte has acted as his megaphone-in-chief throughout his pressure campaign.

Philadelphia Fed researchers in a 2023 report assessed the number of “fraudulent investors” in the mortgage market, which they defined as those who had more than one owner-occupied home purchase loan within four quarters after the first one was originated.

A few weeks ago, Bill Pulte appeared to be struggling to maintain influence with the White House. The head of the Federal Housing Finance Agency was having to jostle for power in the planning for Fannie Mae’s and Freddie Mac’s potential initial public offering.

A lone protester interrupted the serene morning at Jackson Lake Lodge as Fed governor Lisa Cook tried to slip into the Kansas City Fed’s annual economic symposium through a side entrance. Bill Pulte,

Bill Pulte’s net worth in 2025 reflects his long-standing success as a businessman, investor, and philanthropist. Known as the grandson of homebuilding pioneer William J. Pulte, Bill has carved his own path in finance and housing policy.