FBI Raids Mansion of Top Democratic Donor

Federal agents descended on a luxurious Beverly Hills mansion Tuesday morning in a dramatic escalation of the criminal investigation involving former Democratic Congressman Eric Swalwell, whose once-promising political career collapsed earlier this year amid serious misconduct allegations.

The FBI executed a court-authorized search warrant on October 27 at a sprawling Southern California property owned by billionaire businessman and Democratic political donor Stephen Cloobeck, according to multiple reports.

The investigation has placed renewed scrutiny on Swalwell, a longtime political adversary of President Donald Trump who resigned from Congress in April after several women accused him of sexual misconduct.

The FBI confirmed conducting an operation in the Los Angeles area but declined to reveal exactly what investigators were searching for.

“Early this morning the FBI conducted an operation in the Los Angeles region related to an ongoing criminal investigation,” FBI spokesperson Lourdes Arocho said. “We have no further comment.”

The search unfolded around 7 a.m. near Roxbury Drive and Benedict Canyon Drive in one of Beverly Hills’ most exclusive neighborhoods, drawing federal agents and law enforcement vehicles to the multimillion-dollar property.

Although Swalwell does not own or currently reside at the mansion, investigators reportedly focused on the property because he had previously stayed there.

The homeowner, Cloobeck, is a wealthy real estate and hospitality executive who founded Diamond Resorts International and has contributed more than $23,000 to Swalwell’s congressional campaigns since 2017, according to federal campaign finance records cited by The Associated Press.

But the relationship between the two men reportedly soured after allegations against the former congressman became public.

Cloobeck told the New York Post in April that he had severed ties with Swalwell, declaring that he no longer wanted to be associated with someone facing such accusations.

The latest FBI operation comes just months after federal investigators took the extraordinary step of seizing electronic devices belonging to Swalwell at San Francisco International Airport in August. Agents subsequently searched his residence in Washington, D.C., as part of the ongoing investigation.

Those developments followed a devastating political scandal that abruptly ended Swalwell’s congressional career and his campaign to become California’s next governor.

The former seven-term lawmaker had been considered a serious contender in the governor’s race before allegations involving several women emerged in April.

One former congressional staffer accused Swalwell of sexually assaulting her, including during a 2024 trip to New York City. Other women subsequently came forward with allegations involving inappropriate conduct and unwanted communications.

The accusations prompted investigations by authorities in New York and California, while federal investigators began examining allegations involving the former Democratic lawmaker.

Swalwell has denied criminal wrongdoing and rejected the sexual assault allegations. He previously acknowledged making personal mistakes in judgment but maintained that the accusations against him were false.

His decision to resign from Congress marked a stunning fall for a politician who had spent years positioning himself as one of Trump’s fiercest critics.

Swalwell served on the House Judiciary and Intelligence committees and gained national prominence during investigations involving Trump. He was also one of the Democratic impeachment managers during Trump’s second impeachment following the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot.

The California Democrat regularly challenged Trump on television and social media, making him one of the most recognizable figures in the party’s opposition to the president.

Now, the former congressman finds himself facing intense legal scrutiny of his own.

The latest search also raises questions about what evidence investigators may be seeking from locations associated with Swalwell and whether additional developments could emerge as the investigation continues.

Court documents supporting Tuesday’s search warrant remain sealed, and authorities have not publicly disclosed the full scope of the evidence being examined.

Swalwell has not been charged with a crime in connection with the allegations, and a federal search warrant does not establish that he or the mansion’s owner committed any wrongdoing.

Attorneys for Swalwell and Cloobeck had not immediately responded to requests for comment following the search.

For a former Democratic rising star who once hoped to lead California, the continuing investigation represents another serious blow to a political career already derailed by scandal.

And with federal agents now searching properties connected to his past activities, the legal questions surrounding one of Trump’s most outspoken former opponents are far from resolved.