FBI Reportedly Sought Prostitution Records and Electronic Devices at Beverly Hills Mansion of Eric Swalwell Donor

FBI agents sought electronic devices and records relating to prostitution at the Beverly Hills mansion of Eric Swalwell donor Stephen Cloobeck on Tuesday, 27 October, a senior law enforcement official told Reuters.

The search followed earlier FBI action involving Swalwell, who resigned from Congress and withdrew from the race for California governor in April after accusations of sexual misconduct. The former Democratic congressman has denied the allegations.

Eric Swalwell Inquiry Reaches Beverly Hills

The official told Reuters that the search was connected to the investigation into sexual assault allegations against Swalwell. Cloobeck was not home at the time and nobody was arrested, according to the news agency.

'The FBI is executing a federal search warrant', a spokesperson for the bureau's Los Angeles field office stated. The mansion, in the Los Angeles area, is listed on Cloobeck's California business filings.

A Justice Department spokesperson described the search as part of 'an ongoing criminal investigation' and declined to provide further details. The reported connection to Swalwell and the description of the materials sought came from Reuters' law enforcement source. Those details do not appear in the official statements quoted in the accounts.

The affidavit supporting the search warrant remains sealed, the FBI spokesperson stated, adding that no arrests were planned. A Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department spokesperson confirmed that the department had not participated in Tuesday's raid.

The Donor Who Broke With Swalwell

Cloobeck's political support for Swalwell followed the end of his own bid for California governor. The billionaire and former Democratic donor withdrew from that contest, then contributed $1 million (£752,350) to an independent political committee supporting Swalwell's gubernatorial campaign.

Previously described by Politico as a close associate of Swalwell, Cloobeck later stated that he had cut ties with the former lawmaker after the sexual assault allegations emerged.

Los Angeles County prosecutors have also charged Cloobeck with allegedly attempting to impede victim or witness testimony. He was arrested in May and subsequently released on bail. In August, he pleaded not guilty to all counts.

No connection has been established between those charges and the federal search, and no charges arising from Tuesday's raid have been identified. Lawyers for both Cloobeck and Swalwell did not respond to emails seeking comment.

Earlier Searches in the Swalwell Investigation

The Justice Department's criminal investigation into Swalwell had already included an FBI search of his Washington home in August. Reuters reported that agents also seized his electronic devices at San Francisco airport that month.

The accusations that preceded his departure from Congress involved four women and ranged from sexual assault to sending unsolicited explicit images. Swalwell has apologised for 'mistakes in judgment' but described the allegations as false and vowed to fight them.

Reuters also reported that the US Department of Homeland Security had examined allegations that Swalwell illegally employed a Brazilian nanny. The accounts do not connect that matter to the Beverly Hills search.

Law enforcement authorities in New York and Los Angeles have announced their own investigations into the alleged assaults alongside the continuing federal criminal inquiry.