The searches mark a significant step in a federal investigation connected to sexual misconduct allegations the former California congressman denies.
WASHINGTON, DC — Federal agents seized electronic devices from former Democratic Rep. Eric Swalwell at San Francisco International Airport and searched his Washington home the following day as part of an investigation connected to allegations of sexual misconduct, according to people familiar with the investigation and a federal court filing.
The searches represent a new development in investigations that began after several women accused Swalwell of sexual assault or other misconduct earlier this year. Swalwell, who resigned from Congress and ended his campaign for California governor in April, has denied sexually assaulting anyone and has said the serious allegations against him are false. No criminal charge against Swalwell stemming from the allegations was announced as of Friday.
Agents executed one search warrant Saturday night after Swalwell arrived at San Francisco International Airport, according to multiple reports. A filing in federal court in San Francisco says an iPhone and a MacBook Pro were seized and that Swalwell received a copy of the warrant. The warrant itself remains under seal, limiting the amount of information publicly available about what investigators sought or what evidence they believe the devices may contain.
Federal agents executed another warrant Sunday at Swalwell’s residence in Washington. The FBI and Justice Department have not publicly detailed the evidence collected during the home search or explained the full scope of the investigation. Officials with FBI offices in Washington and San Francisco declined to comment to the San Francisco Chronicle. Swalwell’s attorney did not immediately respond to requests for comment from several news organizations after news of the searches became public Thursday.
The federal investigation follows allegations that surfaced publicly in April. A former Swalwell staff member accused him of sexually assaulting her twice, including an alleged assault at a New York hotel while he was attending a charity event in 2024. Other women later made separate allegations of sexual misconduct, including claims that Swalwell sent unwanted explicit messages or images. Those accusations remain allegations and have not been established as fact in court.
Swalwell has repeatedly denied the assault allegations. When he announced his resignation from Congress in April, he said he would fight what he described as serious false allegations while taking responsibility for what he called mistakes in judgment. He also withdrew from the California governor’s race, where he had been considered a leading Democratic contender before the accusations became public.
Authorities in more than one jurisdiction have examined the allegations. The Manhattan District Attorney’s Office confirmed in April that it was investigating after the former staff member publicly accused Swalwell of assaulting her in New York. Authorities in Southern California also opened an investigation after another woman, Lonna Drewes, publicly accused Swalwell of raping her at a West Hollywood hotel in 2018. Swalwell denied that allegation as well.
A lawyer representing Drewes said her legal team was encouraged by the latest federal investigative activity and would continue cooperating with law enforcement. The existence of search warrants does not establish that a crime occurred or that Swalwell committed one. Search warrants generally require judicial authorization based on a showing of probable cause, but the sealed records in this matter leave key details about the government’s evidence outside public view.
CBS News reported that a federal court filing connects the investigation to a federal civil rights law that prohibits government officials from willfully depriving people of rights protected by the Constitution or federal law while acting under color of law. The filing does not establish that Swalwell violated the statute, and investigators have not publicly announced a charging decision. The sealed warrant also makes it unclear which specific allegations or conduct federal agents are examining under that law.
Swalwell, first elected to the House in 2012, represented an East Bay district in California for seven terms and became nationally known as a frequent critic of President Donald Trump. He served on the House Judiciary and Intelligence committees and was one of the House managers in Trump’s second impeachment proceeding after the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol. Swalwell also briefly sought the Democratic presidential nomination in 2019.
His former House seat has since moved to new representation. California state Sen. Aisha Wahab won a special election Thursday to complete the remainder of Swalwell’s term, which expires in January, and is expected to compete again in November for a full two-year term. Meanwhile, the federal investigation into Swalwell remains active, with the warrants sealed and authorities offering few public details about what investigators found or what steps may come next.
Author note: Last updated Aug. 21, 2026.