The FBI had evidence Rep. Eric Swalwell was compromised by an alleged Chinese spy who ran an operation selling access to the California Democrat and congressional internships for illegal campaign contributions, according to newly declassified documents released Monday by the White House Government Transparency Task Force.
The documents expose an alleged scheme where Fang Fang, a Chinese national, traded Swalwell’s congressional internships for campaign donations while maintaining a sexual relationship with the congressman.
“Investigation has revealed that Fang Fang, a Chinese foreign national residing in the United States, is the facilitator of a scheme to trade internships in Congressman Eric Swalwell’s Congressional office in return for campaign contributions,” an FBI memo states.
In at least two cases, Fang allegedly used U.S. nationals as conduits to conceal herself as a prohibited foreign source for the donations.
The FBI documents reveal Fang directly asked contributors for donations and promised to reimburse them. She told the FBI she “understood it was illegal” for her to contribute, but said she was “good at convincing other people to contribute.”
“[Fang] advised this may be a good way to create influence with Swalwell.”
Swalwell admitted to the FBI in 2015 that he had a sexual relationship with Fang. According to declassified memos, Swalwell may have been compromised from the very beginning of his congressional career — meeting Fang in 2012 during his first House campaign.
He started having “physical relations” with her but “never dated her or had a romantic relationship,” according to the documents. March 2015 was the last time Swalwell allegedly had physical relations with Fang.
Swalwell told the FBI in 2016 that he thought anyone Fang suggested for an internship was from the Asian Pacific Islander American Public Associations. “A significant portion of SWALWELL’s constituents are Chinese American and diversity is important,” the documents state.
The FBI attempted to recruit Fang as an informant on Chinese influence operations before launching the “Freshman Fifteen” undercover operation targeting Swalwell. Fang was given the FBI codename “Rusty Thumbs.”
She was known by the FBI to have connections to Chinese intelligence operators — specifically China’s Ministry of State Security — which is why she was targeted as a potential informant in the first place.
The FBI initially intended to investigate Swalwell for bribery based on selling internship placements for campaign contributions. The stated purpose was to “obtain sufficient evidence to indict and arrest Swalwell and Fang for violations of campaign finance laws and quid pro quo exchanges.”
Instead of maintaining the investigation into Swalwell, the FBI decided to narrow the probe solely to Fang in February 2017.
According to one winery owner who had financially assisted Fang with leases on a car and apartment, Fang offered to pay him back if he donated to Swalwell’s campaign. In May 2015 she told him she was going back to China and that the FBI had questioned her about the alleged donation operation.
Fang also allegedly admitted to the winery owner that “her parents used to work for the Chinese government in a department akin to the US Secret Service.”
The FBI closed the investigation in 2017, noting it had discovered evidence Fang had broken multiple laws — including international money smuggling, acting as an unregistered foreign agent, and making prohibited contributions in the name of another.
Fang reportedly left the country sometime in 2015. The State Department banned her from returning to the U.S.
The charges remain allegations. The case has not been proven in court.
