FBI raids former pro-Armenian congressman's home over assault claims

Federal agents seized electronic devices from former Democratic Rep. Eric Swalwell at San Francisco International Airport on August 15 before raiding his home in Washington, D.C., the following day as part of an ongoing investigation into sexual assault allegations, CNN reports, citing sources familiar with the probe.

Swalwell did not immediately respond to CNN’s requests for comment following the raid. He has repeatedly denied the sexual assault allegations. The FBI declined to comment.

Swalwell resigned from Congress and withdrew his bid for governor in April after CNN and the San Francisco Chronicle published reports detailing allegations of sexual misconduct against him. One former staffer accused him of raping her.

Following the reports, the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office and the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department launched criminal investigations into Swalwell. The weekend raids are part of a federal investigation related to the sexual assault allegations, the sources told CNN.

Four women have confirmed to CNN that they were contacted by the FBI as part of the investigation.

The FBI searches were initially reported by the Daily Mail.

In previous reporting by CNN, one former staffer alleged that Swalwell raped her in 2024 after she had left his congressional office. She said she was heavily intoxicated during the alleged incident and suffered bruising and bleeding.

“I was pushing him off of me, saying no,” the woman said of the incident. “He didn’t stop.”

Three other women who spoke to CNN also accused Swalwell of various forms of sexual misconduct, including allegedly sending unsolicited explicit messages and nude photographs.

The women requested anonymity, citing concerns about potential retaliation from Swalwell or professional repercussions.

CNN later reported that more than a dozen additional women had described interactions with Swalwell over the past decade that they found uncomfortable. The accounts included social media exchanges, in-person encounters and alleged attempts by the former congressman to persuade women to go to his hotel room.

Swalwell also took pro-Armenian positions in the US House of Representatives and was considered to be within the sphere of influence of the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA).

By Bakhtiyar Abbasov