FBI Searches Eric Swalwell’s Home, Seizes Devices in Investigation Into Sexual Assault Allegations
WASHINGTON--Federal authorities seized electronic devices belonging to former Rep. Eric Swalwell at San Francisco International Airport on Saturday before searching his Washington, D.C., residence the following day, according to people familiar with the investigation cited by CNN. The actions are part of a federal criminal investigation related to allegations of sexual assault and other misconduct involving the former California Democrat.
Swalwell, who did not immediately respond to requests for comment after the search, has repeatedly denied allegations of sexual assault. The FBI has declined to comment on the investigation.
The developments come months after Swalwell left Congress and ended his campaign for governor of California in April. His decision followed reporting by CNN and the San Francisco Chronicle detailing allegations of sexual misconduct, including an accusation from a former staff member who said Swalwell raped her.
The allegations have prompted investigations by law enforcement agencies in both New York and California. The Manhattan district attorney’s office and the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department opened criminal inquiries following the reports. According to CNN’s sources, the federal investigation is focused on allegations of sexual assault.
Four women have told CNN that FBI agents contacted them as part of the federal inquiry. The FBI search was first reported by the Daily Mail.
CNN previously reported that one former staffer accused Swalwell of raping her in 2024 after she had become heavily intoxicated. The woman said she was no longer employed in Swalwell’s congressional office at the time.
In an interview with CNN, the woman said she repeatedly tried to stop the encounter.
“I was pushing him off of me, saying no,” she said, describing the alleged incident. “He didn’t stop.”
She also told CNN that she was left bruised and bleeding.
Three other women interviewed by CNN separately accused Swalwell of sexual misconduct, including allegedly sending unsolicited sexually explicit messages or nude photographs.
The women who spoke with CNN requested anonymity, citing concerns about potential retaliation or professional repercussions.
The allegations against Swalwell have continued to expand since the initial reports. In May, CNN reported that more than a dozen additional women described interactions with the former congressman over roughly the past decade that they considered inappropriate or uncomfortable.
Those accounts included alleged social media communications, encounters in person and claims that Swalwell attempted to persuade women to meet him in hotel rooms.
The federal investigation does not establish that Swalwell committed a crime, and no criminal charges have been announced in connection with the allegations. The investigation remains ongoing.