Senator Adam Schiff (D-CA) is facing renewed scrutiny after the Trump administration submitted a criminal referral to the Department of Justice alleging that the longtime Democratic lawmaker engaged in mortgage fraud related to a Potomac, Maryland property. When approached by a reporter on Capitol Hill Thursday, Schiff offered no explanation — only silence and a smirk — before quickly retreating into an elevator.
The allegations stem from a referral submitted by the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) in May, which claimed that Schiff falsified bank documents and property records over a span of 16 years — from 2003 to 2019 — in order to obtain more favorable mortgage terms. The FHFA, which oversees Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, and the Federal Home Loan Bank System, reportedly flagged “multiple instances” of suspicious filings associated with the property.
HOLY SHT 🚨
Adam Schiff looks visibly worried when he’s asked by this reporter in the Senate hallway
” Why did you decide to make (MD) your primary residence for (10) years, not California ”
That my friends is the look you get when you’re guilty…. OMG Schiff is going down pic.twitter.com/XWQj34wGPr
— @Chicago1Ray 🇺🇸 (@Chicago1Ray) July 17, 2025
Schiff has not formally responded to the allegations, but his reaction to the reporter’s questioning raised eyebrows. As the journalist asked, “Senator, why did you decide to make your primary residence in Maryland for ten years?” Schiff remained stone-faced. When asked a follow-up — “Any comment on Trump accusing you of mortgage fraud, sir?” — the senator offered only, “Have a nice day,” before the elevator doors closed.
The allegations triggered an immediate response from President Donald Trump on Truth Social. In a scathing post, Trump called Schiff a “scam artist,” accusing him of listing a Maryland residence as his primary home in order to receive mortgage benefits — while simultaneously serving as a congressman representing California.
“Adam Schiff said that his primary residence was in MARYLAND to get a cheaper mortgage and rip off America,” Trump wrote. “When he must LIVE in CALIFORNIA because he was a Congressman from CALIFORNIA.”
While the DOJ has not commented publicly, the FHFA’s criminal referral suggests a serious examination of Schiff’s mortgage practices. The structure of congressional residency rules adds legal complexity — members of Congress are only required to reside in the state they represent, not their specific district — but false representations on mortgage documents fall under federal jurisdiction.
The case bears similarities to recent allegations made against New York Attorney General Letitia James, who is under fire for allegedly listing a Virginia property as her primary residence while serving as the Empire State’s top law enforcement official.
A separate criminal referral from FHFA Director William Pulte accuses James of misrepresenting the number of units in a Brooklyn property in past mortgage documents, which may have allowed her to qualify for favorable terms under federal loan programs.
