Former Congressman Eric Swalwell was subjected to an FBI search at San Francisco International Airport on August 15, as part of a federal criminal investigation, newly obtained footage and court documents reveal. The investigation centers on allegations of sexual misconduct and potential abuse of power during Swalwell’s time in office.
Surveillance video shows Swalwell disembarking a plane and subsequently engaging with FBI agents at the gate. Dressed casually in a hat, black sweatshirt, and sneakers, he appeared cooperative and calm throughout the encounter. The video documents Swalwell being escorted through restricted airport areas, ultimately arriving at a secured room where agents served a search warrant around 8:25 p.m. The warrant authorized the seizure of a white Apple iPhone, along with its charging cable and wall adapter, and a MacBook Pro laptop, as detailed in an inventory filed alongside the warrant. Swalwell was provided with copies of both the search warrant and the list of seized items. No footage or reports indicate that Swalwell was arrested, and he was reportedly allowed to leave following the search.
The investigation expanded the next day when the FBI executed search warrants at Swalwell’s residence in Washington, D.C., confiscating additional materials, according to a source familiar with the matter. The federal warrant cited a civil-rights statute often applied in cases involving public officials who allegedly misuse their governmental authority. This suggests prosecutors are examining whether Swalwell may have leveraged his official position in connection with the allegations against him.
Multiple women have accused Swalwell of sexual misconduct. According to reports, one former staffer alleged that Swalwell raped her while she was too intoxicated to consent, while another accuser claimed he drugged and assaulted her in 2018. Additional women have come forward, accusing Swalwell of sending unsolicited explicit images. Swalwell has denied all allegations.
The mounting accusations prompted Swalwell to end his bid for governor of California and resign from Congress on April 14 amid a pending House Ethics Committee inquiry into misconduct and sexual assault allegations involving an employee he supervised. Prior to withdrawing from the gubernatorial race, Swalwell’s attorney sent a cease-and-desist letter to several accusers, warning of potential defamation suits related to the spreading of claims about inappropriate behavior.
Following the public emergence of the allegations, the Department of Justice initiated a formal investigation in April. In addition to the federal probe, Swalwell remains under scrutiny in a concurrent state ethics investigation. Neither Swalwell nor his representatives have issued statements regarding the recent FBI searches or the ongoing investigations.