Federal Reserve Gov. Lisa Cook might not have committed fraud when obtaining a mortgage loan on at least one property for which she is accused of fraud.
Embattled Federal Reserve Gov. Lisa Cook did not mispresent her Atlanta property in at least some documents, two news outlets reported on Friday and Saturday. File Photo by Ken Cedeno/UPI UPI
Sept. 13 (UPI) -- Federal Reserve Gov. Lisa Cook might not have committed fraud when obtaining a mortgage loan on at least one property for which she is accused of fraud.
Cook in 2021 described the Atlanta condominium that she bought as a second home or a vacation home in documents reviewed by The Washington Post and The New York Times.
A document from May 2021 described the Atlanta property's use as a "vacation home, and a December 2021 form that she provided to the Biden administration called the condo a second home, according to The Washington Post.
She submitted the December document for review after President Joe Biden nominated her to join the Federal Reserve's Board of Governors.
A similar review by The New York Times reaches the same conclusions but says the documents are not legal documents and do not disprove claims that she committed fraud by claiming the Atlanta property and another home in Ann Arbor, Mich.
Federal Housing Agency Director Bill Pulte initially raised concern that Cook might have committed fraud and said the newly released documents do not disprove fraud allegations.
"If Dr. Cook solicited estimates as a vacation home and then entered into a mortgage agreement as a primary residence, that is extremely concerning and ... evidence of further intent to defraud," Pulte said, told The New York Times.
Pulte has referred the issue to the Department of Justice, which is investigating the matter.
President Donald Trump announced he is firing Cook, but she challenged her dismissal in a lawsuit and remains a Federal Reserve governor at least until the legal matter is resolved.