The FBI searched the Beverly Hills home of Swalwell donor Stephen Cloobeck Tuesday. No arrests were reported there.
The FBI searched a Beverly Hills mansion owned by Stephen Cloobeck, a wealthy developer and political donor, on Tuesday as part of the ongoing investigation into former Rep. Eric Swalwell.
The FBI said in a statement that it conducted “an operation in the Los Angeles region related to an ongoing criminal investigation” and declined to comment further. A senior law enforcement official told Reuters that agents were looking for electronic devices and records pertaining to prostitution. Cloobeck was not home, and no one was arrested. Attorneys for Cloobeck and Swalwell did not respond to requests for comment. An FBI spokesperson told the Los Angeles Times that the court documents related to the case are sealed.
Swalwell, a California Democrat, resigned from Congress and dropped his bid for governor in April after four women accused him of sexual misconduct, ranging from sexual assault to sending unsolicited explicit images. One former staffer said he raped her. Swalwell has apologized for “mistakes in judgment,” denies the allegations and has said he would fight them. He has denied criminal wrongdoing. No charges against him have been reported.
The FBI seized Swalwell’s electronic devices at San Francisco’s airport in August and searched his Washington home the next day, sources told CNN. The Manhattan District Attorney’s Office and the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department have opened criminal investigations, and the Los Angeles district attorney’s Sex Crimes Division said it is working closely with law enforcement partners. California state officials are also examining whether Swalwell improperly used campaign funds to pay legal expenses.
Cloobeck briefly ran for governor last year before withdrawing and backing Swalwell. Swalwell stayed at Cloobeck’s home several times during the campaign and held political events there. He recorded a video denying the allegations while staying at the property, according to USA Today.
Information for this report was provided by CNN, Reuters, USA Today, The Hill and NewsNation.