BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. — Federal agents on Tuesday searched a Beverly Hills mansion owned by billionaire businessman Stephen Cloobeck in connection with an escalating criminal inquiry into former U.S. Rep. Eric Swalwell, law enforcement officials said.
FBI agents arrived at the property on North Roxbury Drive near Benedict Canyon Drive on Tuesday morning, placing caution tape across the front of the home while executing a court-approved search warrant. An FBI spokesperson confirmed the bureau carried out an operation in the Los Angeles region connected to an ongoing criminal case. Court records concerning the raid remain under seal, and authorities said no arrests were planned.
Search Targets Electronics and Records
Cloobeck, the founder and former chief executive of Diamond Resorts International, was not at the property when the raid occurred, officials said. A senior law enforcement official told Radar Online that investigators focused on electronic devices and records concerning prostitution. NBC Los Angeles reported that authorities have not officially confirmed what, if anything, agents confiscated from the residence.
The Beverly Hills estate served as a frequent stop for Swalwell, who stayed at the house during his run for California governor and used the venue for political gatherings, according to published reports. Campaign finance filings show Cloobeck contributed $1 million in March to an independent group supporting Swalwell's gubernatorial bid after dropping his own brief campaign.
Cloobeck broke ties with Swalwell in April after public accusations against the former lawmaker surfaced. Cloobeck told reporters at the time that he ended the relationship, stating, “I am no longer associated with a man that takes advantage of women.”
Mounting Inquiries Follow April Resignation
Swalwell, a Democrat who represented a Northern California district for seven terms, abruptly stepped down from Congress and suspended his campaign for governor in April. His departure followed accusations by four women alleging sexual misconduct. The claims spanned from unsolicited explicit images to sexual assault, including an accusation by an ex-employee who alleged Swalwell raped her at a New York hotel during a 2024 charity trip.
Swalwell has contested the criminal accusations while apologizing for what he described as errors in judgment. The Tuesday raid marks the latest enforcement action targeting people and properties tied to him. In August, federal investigators confiscated Swalwell's electronic items at San Francisco International Airport and searched his residence in Washington, D.C.
Court documents indicate federal authorities have looked into whether Swalwell violated civil rights laws by acting under color of official government authority. In addition to the federal inquiry, the Manhattan District Attorney's Office opened an investigation into the hotel assault allegation, and prosecutors with the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office sex crimes division confirmed they are reviewing whether to file local charges. The Department of Homeland Security has separately reviewed claims regarding the employment of a nanny, Reuters reported.
Cloobeck's Existing Legal Matters
The search also occurred against the backdrop of Cloobeck's own legal challenges in Southern California. The Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office charged Cloobeck in April with three felony counts of attempting to dissuade witnesses and a misdemeanor count of making annoying phone calls.
Prosecutors alleged those communications targeted individuals involved in the criminal prosecution of his former fiancée, Adva Lavie, who was charged with theft offenses. Law enforcement sources told NBC Los Angeles it remained unclear whether Tuesday's warrant touched on that matter alongside the Swalwell inquiry.
Federal prosecutors have not announced formal charges in connection with Tuesday's search, and law enforcement agencies have not disclosed what materials were retrieved from the property.
