Legal representatives for Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook have issued a detailed rebuttal against accusations of mortgage fraud, characterizing the claims as unfounded and politically motivated. In a formal legal submission, Cook’s defense counsel outlined a comprehensive response to allegations that she misrepresented property details to secure favorable loan terms.
The defense centers on three properties: a primary residence in Ann Arbor, Michigan; a condominium in Atlanta, Georgia; and a residence in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Cook’s attorney stated her principal home is in Ann Arbor, where she has maintained her academic position since 2005 and plans to return following her tenure at the Federal Reserve.
Regarding the Atlanta property, purchased to be near family, the defense acknowledges a single reference on a mortgage application incorrectly identifying it as a primary residence. The filing characterizes this as an inadvertent error, noting that all other loan documentation and annual financial disclosures accurately list the property as a secondary residence. Legal standards for fraud require proof of intentional deception, which the defense asserts is absent.
The Cambridge property, acquired before her Michigan residence, has been consistently documented as a secondary home and rental property in all relevant mortgage paperwork.
The legal response criticizes a federal housing official for allegedly leveraging his position to pursue politically charged investigations. It highlights what it describes as a selective application of scrutiny, noting that similar documentation issues involving senior administration figures have not prompted equivalent investigations.
The filing concludes that the complete record demonstrates no criminal intent, asserting that loan documents clearly reflected the intended use of each property without any deliberate attempt to mislead lenders.
