USA · 20 August, 2026 · 2 min read
FBI Seizes Eric Swalwell’s Devices at San Francisco International Airport, Searches Washington D.C. Home
Federal agents seized Swalwell's electronic devices at San Francisco International Airport Saturday night. Agents searched his Washington, D.C. home as part of the same sexual misconduct investigation.
Raids tied to sexual assault probe vs broader emphasis including spy documents.
7 of 8 outlets skipped it: CNN says four women confirmed being contacted by the FBI.
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Same story, two versions
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BBC
“This is part of a federal investigation into sexual misconduct allegations against him.”Read the original ↗
NewsNation
“Swalwell told FBI investigators he had physical relations with a suspected Chinese spy”Read the original ↗
NewsNation foregrounds the China-spy documents, while BBC frames the raid as solely sex-allegation related.
FBI raids Swalwell
Federal agents seized electronic devices from former Democratic Rep. Eric Swalwell at San Francisco International Airport on Saturday night and then executed a search warrant at his Washington, D.C., home on Sunday, according to sources cited by ABC7 Bay Area.
“The FBI seized former Democratic Rep. Eric Swalwell's electronic devices”
ABC7 Bay Area reported that Swalwell was served with a search warrant for his cellphone and other electronic devices while he was at San Francisco International Airport, and that agents served a search warrant at his Washington, D.C., home on Sunday.
CBS News said FBI agents executed search warrants targeting Swalwell over the weekend and seized his electronic devices as part of a criminal probe into allegations of sexual misconduct.
CBS News also reported that one warrant was executed Saturday night after Swalwell landed at San Francisco International Airport and that the second targeted his residence in Washington, D.C., and was executed on Sunday.
Accusers, denials, probes
The raids came after Swalwell resigned from Congress in April following allegations of sexual assault and other misconduct, with ABC7 Bay Area citing Lonna Drewes saying in a news conference that he raped her in 2018 and believes he drugged her drink.
ABC7 Bay Area also said Swalwell denied the allegations and, in a statement posted on X, said he was "deeply sorry" to his family, staff and constituents but that "he will fight the serious, false allegation made against me."
CNN reported that Swalwell did not immediately respond to messages after the raid and that he has repeatedly denied all allegations of sexual assault.
CNN added that four women confirmed to CNN that they have been contacted by the FBI as part of this probe, and that the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office and the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department opened criminal investigations in the wake of the reporting.
What’s next
The FBI searches and device seizures unfolded as the White House released declassified documents on the FBI's investigation into Swalwell regarding his alleged relationship with a suspected spy more than a decade ago, according to CBS News.
“The 97-page documents stem from the FBI's investigation”
CBS News said the 97-page documents stem from the FBI's investigation into Swalwell and his 2015 relationship with Christine Fang, a suspected Chinese intelligence operative, and that Swalwell was never charged in the matter.
In a separate account, NewsNation said Swalwell told FBI investigators he had physical relations with a woman named Christine Fang and that the probe found no evidence of a quid pro quo exchange but determined she violated other criminal laws, including international bulk cash smuggling and acting as an unregistered foreign agent.N
NewsNation also reported that Officials had determined prosecution was "non-viable due to national security reasons" and that Fang left the United States and has been barred from reentry, while Swalwell’s lawyer Sara Azari told the San Francisco Chronicle there was "nothing new" revealed in the documents.N