Senator Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), a prominent Trump critic, is under criminal investigation by the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Maryland for alleged mortgage fraud, following a referral from the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA). The probe, reported on August 6, 2025, centers on accusations that Schiff falsified bank documents and property records to secure favorable loan terms on a Potomac, Maryland, property from 2003 to 2019. FHFA Director William Pulte’s letter to the Justice Department alleges Schiff misrepresented the property as his primary residence in mortgage filings in 2009, 2011, 2012, and 2013, while simultaneously claiming a Burbank, California, condo as his primary residence for a $7,000 tax exemption.
A Fannie Mae investigation concluded Schiff engaged in a “sustained pattern of possible occupancy misrepresentation” on five loans, potentially violating federal laws on wire fraud, mail fraud, bank fraud, and false statements. Schiff’s campaign insists both properties were listed as primary residences for loan purposes because they were occupied year-round, denying any wrongdoing. The investigation, which could lead to charges, has drawn scrutiny for its timing, with critics like former U.S. Attorney Barbara McQuade calling it a politically motivated attack on Trump’s adversaries, including New York AG Letitia James, who faces a similar probe.
Schiff, censured in 2023 for his role in Trump’s Russia investigations, faces heightened political pressure as the DOJ reviews the case. The allegations, if substantiated, could jeopardize his Senate career and fuel debates over accountability in Congress.
