Federal Housing Finance Agency Director Bill Pulte has filed a second criminal referral with the U.S. Department of Justice accusing Federal Reserve Governor Lisa D. Cook of mortgage fraud, this time involving a third property. The referral, dated 28 August, alleges that Cook obtained a US$361,000 mortgage on a Cambridge, Massachusetts condominium in April 2021 by declaring it a “second home,” then reported rental income from the unit eight months later—an indication, Pulte says, that the property was used as an investment and not as a residence. The new allegations build on an earlier referral that questioned Cook’s representations on mortgage applications for homes in Michigan and Georgia. Pulte argues that the pattern of purported misstatements could constitute criminal falsehoods and might have helped Cook secure favorable loan terms and, ultimately, her seat on the Fed’s Board of Governors. Justice Department officials have already signaled plans to examine the earlier claims; the latest filing expands the scope of that probe. Cook, who joined the Fed’s board in 2022, sued President Donald Trump on 28 August after he moved to dismiss her from office following the first referral. She contends that her removal would be unlawful and motivated by the administration’s broader effort to reshape the central bank. The legal fight intensifies political pressure on the Federal Reserve only weeks before its 17 September policy meeting, where officials must weigh elevated inflation against signs of a cooling labor market.