FBI Raids Stephen Cloobeck's Beverly Hills Home in Eric Swalwell Investigation, Reports Say

FBI agents served a search warrant Tuesday morning at the Beverly Hills mansion of billionaire businessman Stephen Cloobeck, a former backer of Eric Swalwell, in what sources described as part of a federal investigation into the former California congressman.

An FBI spokesperson confirmed that agents were executing a court-authorized search warrant that remains under seal, but the bureau did not say who or what the investigation involves. “Early this morning the FBI conducted an operation in the Los Angeles region related to an ongoing criminal investigation,” the FBI told ABC News. “We have no further comment.”

Two law enforcement sources told NBC News the search was connected to an investigation into Swalwell, and sources told ABC News the same. Swalwell does not live in the home, but sources told ABC News he is believed to have stayed there for a time.

What we know about the search

• Where: A home on North Roxbury Drive in Beverly Hills, where video showed several FBI agents and yellow caution tape, according to NBC Los Angeles.
• When: Tuesday morning, Oct. 27.
• What was taken: Not disclosed. Details of the investigation and whether anything was seized were not immediately available.
• Arrests: FBI sources told NBC Los Angeles none were expected at the location Tuesday.
• Warrant: Sealed, per the FBI.

NBC Los Angeles noted it was not immediately clear whether the warrant was tied to the Swalwell case or to a separate case involving Cloobeck himself.

Who is Stephen Cloobeck?

Cloobeck is a billionaire businessman who backed Swalwell’s campaign for California governor before withdrawing his support in April, after sexual misconduct allegations against Swalwell surfaced. After the allegations came to light, Cloobeck said Swalwell had stayed with him at his Los Angeles-area home, NBC Los Angeles reported.

Cloobeck faces his own unrelated case. The Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office charged him in April with three felony counts of attempting to dissuade a witness and one misdemeanor count, connected to the prosecution of his former fiancée, who is accused of stealing from men she met online, according to NBC Los Angeles. He turned himself in earlier this year. The outlet did not report a plea in his case.

Where the Swalwell investigation stands

Swalwell, a Democrat, was once a front-runner in the governor’s race. He left the race and resigned his House seat earlier this year after the misconduct allegations. He has denied the accusations.

Tuesday’s search follows earlier steps reported by NBC Los Angeles:

No charges have been announced against Swalwell. ABC News said it had reached out to his attorney for comment.

Why it matters now

The search comes a week before California’s Nov. 3 general election for governor. Swalwell’s exit opened the Democratic field; former Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra faces Republican Steve Hilton in that race, NBC Los Angeles reported.

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