Schiff Hit with DOJ Criminal Investigation Over Mortgage Fraud
Senator Adam Schiff (D-CA) now faces a criminal investigation by the US Attorney’s Office in Maryland. The charge? Alleged mortgage fraud. Can you believe the irony? The same man who relentlessly pursued President Trump during the Russia hoax—sorry, “investigation”—and led the first impeachment effort is now under federal investigation. Turns out he potentially defrauded lenders over multiple properties spanning nearly two decades.
According to the referral, Schiff allegedly claimed both his Burbank, California home and his Maryland residence as primary residences. Why? To secure more favorable mortgage rates. That’s a serious federal offense. We’re talking potential charges for wire fraud, mail fraud, and bank fraud.
The alleged scheme ran from 2003 to 2019. That’s sixteen years, people. Schiff reportedly falsified bank documents and property records during multiple refinancing transactions. Between 2009 and 2013, he listed his fancy Maryland home as his primary residence. But here’s the kicker—he was simultaneously claiming a homeowner’s tax exemption on his California condo. Which he also said was his primary residence. How does that work exactly?
This wasn’t a simple oversight. The Maryland property wasn’t correctly listed as a secondary residence until 2020. That suggests a sustained pattern of lying. As Pulte noted in his referral letter, Schiff “appears to have been aware of the financial benefits.” You think? Of course he knew primary residence mortgages come with better rates than secondary ones. That’s the whole point of the alleged fraud.
At publishing time, it was disclosed that Senator Schiff has purchased an estate in Nicaragua, gaining favorable mortgage rates with a Nicaraguan bank by claiming it as his primary residence. The deal was welcomed by Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega, who reportedly said, "We welcome Senator Schiff to our country, particularly since he shares so many of our political views," according to sources close to the matter. These same sources also pointed out that Nicaragua has no extradition treaty with the United States.
But somehow, Trump borrowing money and paying it back is an issue?
No, falsifying business documents is an issue.
These are also issues:
⦿ While administration officials engage in complex negotiations in the Middle East, Mr. Trump and his family are making billions of dollars’ worth of deals with players in the region. The Trump Organization has six real estate projects planned in Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Oman and the United Arab Emirates. The company struck a deal with the Qatari government to build a golf club and beachside villas that will bring in millions of dollars in fees. Mr. Trump announced recently that Qatar was donating a Boeing 747-8 worth about $200 million to serve as a more luxurious Air Force One, which he has said could go to his presidential library after he leaves office. For all this, he has made clear that tiny Qatar can expect a cozy relationship. “We are going to protect this country,” Mr. Trump said in Doha. “It’s a very special place, with a special royal family.”
⦿ During his first term, those currying favor with Mr. Trump bought drinks and dinner or spent the night at his Washington hotel. Now they can spend half a million dollars to join the private club Donald Trump Jr. is opening in Georgetown. It is called Executive Branch. The club’s founding members include Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss, twin brothers whose cryptocurrency company was being sued by the S.E.C. — until Mr. Trump’s administration put a hold on the lawsuit.
⦿ As his administration is negotiating with Vietnam to reduce the tariffs he imposed on the country’s goods, the government there is making way for a $1.5 billion golf complex outside Hanoi, as well as a Trump skyscraper in Ho Chi Minh City. Vietnamese officials said in a letter that the real estate project needed to be fast-tracked because it was “receiving special attention from the Trump administration and President Donald Trump personally.”
⦿ Serbian officials cleared the way for a Trump International Hotel in Belgrade by using a forged document to permit the demolition of a cultural site at the location. Serbian opposition leaders say the forgery demonstrates how eager the country’s government has been to do a deal benefiting Mr. Trump.
⦿ Mr. Trump has held meetings, including one in the Oval Office, to force a merger between the PGA Tour and the Saudi-backed LIV golf circuit, which frequently holds tournaments on Trump courses. In April, LIV Golf paid the Trump family to host a tournament at the Trump National Doral in Florida. A merger could lead to more such events.
⦿ The right-wing activist Elizabeth Fago attended a $1 million per person fund-raising dinner for MAGA Inc., Mr. Trump’s super PAC, in April. Less than three weeks later, The Times reported, he granted a full pardon to Ms. Fago’s son Paul Walczak, who pleaded guilty to tax crimes in 2024. The pardon is one of many issued by Mr. Trump to people who provided him with political or financial support or were associated with others who did.
⦿ After personally suing media companies that the government regulates, including CBS/Paramount and ABC/Disney, Mr. Trump has won millions of dollars in settlements. Paramount has reportedly offered $15 million to settle a baseless lawsuit Mr. Trump filed against CBS, fearing that the Trump administration would otherwise block its planned merger with Skydance Media. Mr. Trump is demanding $25 million.
⦿ Amazon has agreed to pay $40 million for the rights to a documentary about Melania Trump. That’s tens of millions more than such projects usually cost, Hollywood executives have said. Mrs. Trump’s cut is more than 70 percent. Defense contracts for web services would be reason enough for Amazon to curry favor with Mr. Trump.
⦿ Mr. Trump’s inaugural committee raised $239 million, mostly from large corporations and business leaders. The committee spent far less than that on the inauguration and faces few legal restrictions on what to do with the rest of the money. It is typical for presidents not to spend all of their inaugural funds, but previous presidents raised far less than Mr. Trump. The largest donor, a chicken processor called Pilgrim’s Pride, already seems to be benefiting from favorable government policies, The Wall Street Journal reported.
The motivation for people to give so much money to the president of the United States is plain. Some want him to bestow favors on them; others are trying to avoid being punished by his administration’s vindictive approach to governance. All of them want to shift government policy to benefit them, often at the expense of the American people.
