FBI Seizes Electronics From Eric Swalwell in Sexual Misconduct Probe
Former U.S. Representative Eric Swalwell was served with a federal search warrant by FBI agents at San Francisco International Airport, where investigators seized his cell phone and electronic devices as part of a federal criminal probe, according to reporting confirmed by The New York Post and the Daily Mail. The 45-year-old former California Democrat, who ended his gubernatorial campaign amid multiple sexual misconduct allegations, cooperated with federal agents during the Saturday airport encounter.
Airport Confrontation and Federal Warrants
Federal law enforcement officials intercepted Swalwell after his arrival in California on Saturday. According to sources cited by the Daily Mail, agents were waiting when he stepped off a flight originating from Washington, D.C., where the former congressman maintains a residence. Following the airport seizure of his cell phone and other electronics, investigators executed additional court-approved search warrants on Sunday at Swalwell’s home in Northeast Washington, D.C., recovering further potential evidence.
The Department of Justice opened its investigation into Swalwell in April, concurrent with inquiries by the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office and the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. Swalwell has denied any wrongdoing, though he acknowledged making ‘mistakes in judgment’ surrounding the allegations that collapsed his political career.
Allegations and Congressional Resignation
The federal probe follows public accusations that dismantled Swalwell’s bid for the California governorship. At least four women have stepped forward with misconduct allegations. Among them, a former staffer alleged that Swalwell raped her twice in 2019 and 2024 when she was too intoxicated to consent. Another accuser claimed she was drugged and raped in 2018, while two additional women reported receiving unsolicited images of his genitals from the lawmaker.
The mounting pressure forced Swalwell to resign from the U.S. House of Representatives on April 13 amid a looming House Ethics Committee investigation looking into misconduct and sexual assault involving an employee working under his supervision.
Swalwell’s political downfall also fractured his personal life. Sources close to the couple reported that his wife, Brittany Watts, was completely blindsided by the allegations and his “double life.” Watts has been reported as living separately from the former congressman and has been spotted without her wedding band several times.
Declassified Records Add Scrutiny
The federal enforcement actions coincide with the release of newly declassified government documents concerning Swalwell’s ties to Christine Fang, a Chinese spy known as “Fang Fang.” The White House Transparency Task Force published the files, detailing how Fang bundled donations for Swalwell’s 2014 re-election campaign and placed an intern inside his congressional office.
Within the newly released records, Swalwell told the FBI that he had “occasionally hooked up” with Fang. While law enforcement has not accused Swalwell of any wrongdoing in the Fang Fang scandal, the timing of the document release compounds the reputational and legal fallout surrounding his departure from public office.
As federal investigators continue analyzing the contents of the seized electronic devices from both the San Francisco airport stop and the Washington residence, the Department of Justice has not yet formally announced specific charges. The inquiry remains active as state and federal authorities weigh the gathered evidence against the former representative.