The FBI uncovered former Rep. Eric Swalwell's affair with Chinese operative Fang Fang when agents sought to recruit her as a double agent, according to declassified documents. Swalwell, who served on the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, had "physical relations with Fang on a handful of occasions," he confessed in 2015.
In 2013, an FBI memo indicated that Swalwell had joked about Fang's suspected ties to China's Ministry of State Security (MSS), referring to it as the "Chinese CIA." Fang herself reportedly joked that MSS officers were either old men or ladies, implying she could not be part of the agency. She also remarked that the MSS might use prostitutes rather than officers to entice officials.
The FBI memo from 2013 noted that an undercover agent had explored recruiting Fang, codenamed "Rusty Thumbs," to an FBI cutout company. At the time, the bureau was aware of her parents' alleged affiliations with Chinese intelligence. The memo stated that Fang indicated she could "use her sexuality on politicians" if she desired, due to being "young and pretty." She also reportedly spoke of opportunities to marry wealthy individuals in Beijing but chose a different path.
Officials also took note of Fang's inconsistent accounts regarding her parents' retirement and her ambiguity about her past. Chinese media had previously reported allegations that both the FBI and CIA attempted to recruit her. The FBI believed Fang's motivations were primarily centered on "money and power" and noted she exhibited "certain egotistical/narcissistic traits which may impact her suitability as a source."
However, by March 2014, the FBI concluded that Fang could not be reliably trusted to provide information on China in exchange for money and closed the recruitment file. Six days later, the FBI initiated a probe into Swalwell concerning Fang's access to him. On April 30, 2015, Swalwell received a classified briefing on the matter. At that time, he was reportedly seeing Fang every two months.
The documents were declassified in March of the current year and released on Monday. Swalwell had previously threatened legal action against the FBI over plans to release files related to his relationship with Fang, particularly during his gubernatorial campaign. His attorneys sent a cease and desist letter, stating the release attempt was a "transparent attempt to smear him and undermine his campaign."
Swalwell's connections to Fang were initially brought to light by an Axios report in 2020, which identified her as a suspected Chinese spy. Fang has since left the United States and is reportedly barred from returning.