Trump official refers California Rep. Eric Swalwell to DOJ for mortgage fraud investigation

Ryan Macasero, The Mercury News on Nov 13, 2025

By clicking submit, I authorize Arcamax and its affiliates to: (1) use, sell, and share my information for marketing purposes, including cross-context behavioral advertising, as described in our Privacy Policy , (2) add to information that I provide with other information like interests inferred from web page views, or data lawfully obtained from data brokers, such as past purchase or location data, or publicly available data, (3) contact me or enable others to contact me by email or other means with offers for different types of goods and services, and (4) retain my information while I am engaging with marketing messages that I receive and for a reasonable amount of time thereafter. I understand I can opt out at any time through an email that I receive, or by clicking here

A senior Trump administration official has referred U.S. Rep. Eric Swalwell, D-Calif., to the U.S. Department of Justice for an investigation over alleged mortgage and tax fraud tied to a Washington, D.C., home, NBC News reported Thursday.

Swalwell, a former Dublin council member, dismissed the allegations as politically motivated.

“As the most vocal critic of Donald Trump over the last decade and as the only person who still has a surviving lawsuit against him, the only thing I am surprised about is that it took him this long to come after me,” he said in a statement, adding that he will not withdraw his 2021 lawsuit alleging President Donald Trump incited the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection at the Capitol.

Swalwell, who represents the 14th Congressional District — covering most of eastern Alameda County and parts of Contra Costa County — has served in Congress since 2013. He sits on the House Judiciary Committee and the House Committee on Homeland Security, where he is the ranking member of the Subcommittee on Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Protection.

Attributed to an anonymous source in the NBC News report, the referral alleges that Swalwell obtained several million dollars in loans and refinancing by declaring his primary residence as Washington, D.C. It calls for a probe into possible mortgage fraud, state and local tax fraud, insurance fraud and any related offenses.

According to NBC, Bill Pulte, director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency, also told Attorney General Pam Bondi in a letter Wednesday that Swalwell may have made false or misleading statements on loan documents.

The referral marks at least the fourth time a prominent critic of Trump has faced similar accusations in recent months. The Department of Justice declined to comment when this news organization sought details on the complaint and the investigation’s status.

Other officials currently facing similar investigations include former FBI Director James Comey, former national security adviser John Bolton, California Sen. Adam Schiff, Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook, and New York Attorney General Letitia James.

Swalwell said he expects “dozens more to come.”

“I refuse to live in fear in what was once the freest country in the world,” Swalwell said. “I will not stop speaking out against the president and speaking up for Californians. Mr. President, do better. Be better.”

_____