Bill Pulte — a private equity executive and social media philanthropist — has quickly become an outspoken fixture in the Trump administration’s efforts to overhaul the central bank and use a little-known agency to investigate perceived enemies.

Bill Pulte, who runs the Federal Housing Finance Agency under President Donald Trump, confirmed Thursday that he filed a criminal referral against Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook for alleged mortgage fraud.

A few weeks ago, Bill Pulte appeared to be struggling to maintain influence with the White House. The head of the Federal Housing Finance Agency was having to jostle for power in the planning for Fannie Mae’s and Freddie Mac’s potential initial public offering.

Philadelphia Fed researchers in a 2023 report assessed the number of “fraudulent investors” in the mortgage market, which they defined as those who had more than one owner-occupied home purchase loan within four quarters after the first one was originated.

Federal Housing Finance Agency Director Bill Pulte suggested Thursday that his referral of Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook for alleged mortgage fraud was part of a broader crackdown on the issue.

The new FHFA chief has turned a low-profile agency into a political flashpoint while waging an online war against the Fed chair.

Bill Pulte, the FHFA chief, goes after Trump’s political opponents.