Cottagers boss Martin Jol signed Pogrebnyak on loan from Stuttgart on transfer deadline day to fill the void left by Bobby Zamora's move to QPR and it has proved an inspired piece of business.
After scoring in his previous two appearances, Pogrebnyak tore into the Wolves defence with two first-half goals and completed his treble after the break.
Clint Dempsey added a second-half double to ensure that Wolves were sent home in utter despair after a run of just one win in 13 league games dropped them into the relegation zone, below Blackburn on goal difference.
Fulham, who surged up to eighth place, were on top from the start and took the lead in controversial circumstances in the 36th minute.
Mousa Dembele worked space for a shot which referee Mike Jones felt had brushed off Wolves defender Richard Stearman on its way wide.
Stearman was unhappy with the decision but Damien Duff whipped in the resulting corner for Pogrebnyak to head home from close range.
Pogrebnyak doubled Fulham's advantage eight minutes later as the hosts made the most of an awful cross-field pass from Nenad Milijas.
Dempsey chased it down and the ball was worked wide to Andrew Johnson, who teed up Pogrebnyak to fire home.
Fulham's third goal arrived in the 56th minute when Danny Murphy's sublime pass was collected by Dempsey and the American midfielder rounded Wayne Hennessey to slot home.
Wolves boss Terry Connor responded by bringing on top scorer Steven Fletcher but moments later Hennessey was picking the ball out of his net once more.
The Welshman could not get hold of a Johnson shot, which squirmed out of his grasp and allowed Pogrebnyak to complete his hat-trick in the 61st minute.
Jol handed former Real Madrid midfielder Mahamadou Diarra his debut with less than 20 minutes remaining and the new boy set up Dempsey for his second goal with a well-weighted pass in the 83rd minute.
Source: AFP
Source: AFP