A three-year FBI probe into then-Rep. Eric Swalwell determined suspected Chinese spy Fang Fang helped solicit illegal campaign donations — but the investigation was dropped for “national security reasons,” according to bureau files declassified by the White House Monday.
An undercover operation targeted the California Democrat between May 2014 and May 2017 following a tip that “internships in Congressman Eric Swalwell’s offices were promised in exchange for campaign contributions,” according to a June 10, 2014, FBI memo.
“As part of the scheme to purchase internships, campaign contributions were conduited through third parties to mask the true identity of the donor and in some cases made by foreign nationals in violation of federal criminal law,” noted the memo.
FBI agents conducted interviews with Swalwell, unidentified campaign donors and others in the congressman’s orbit — but were unable to substantiate the quid pro quo allegations.
However, the investigation did uncover evidence that Fang — who also went by Christine Fang — broke the law by soliciting illegal straw donations from foreign nationals, destroyed records, made false statements, smuggled cash and acted as an unregistered foreign agent, presumably for China, according to a May 2, 2017, bureau memo.
“Fang left the United States in [redacted] and has been barred from re-entry pursuant to Security and Advisory Opinions issued by the United States Department of State,” that memo added.
“In consultation with San Francisco Division Executive Management, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of California, SAC San Francisco has determined that prosecution is non-viable due to national security reasons.”
The FBI had hoped the undercover probe, codenamed “Freshman Fifteen,” would gather sufficient evidence to indict and arrest both Swalwell and Fang for campaign finance law violations — but neither were charged. --->READ MORE HERE
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| Marc Nozell / Wikimedia Commons/CC By 2.0 |
Fang was known by the FBI to have connections to Chinese intelligence operators, which is why she was targeted by the FBI as an informant.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) had evidence former Rep. Eric Swalwell, D-Calif., was compromised by concubine and alleged Chinese spy Fang Fang, who seems to have run an operation selling access to Swalwell and congressional internships for illegal campaign contributions, according to newly declassified documents.
The documents related to the probe called “Freshman Fifteen” were released Monday by the White House Government Transparency Task Force. They show the FBI believed Swalwell had been compromised through sexual relations with Fang, a Chinese national, who placed foreign interns in his office and procured illicit donations. The FBI was simultaneously trying to turn Fang into an informant.
“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, potentially in violation of Title 18 USC 201,” an FBI memo states. “In at least two cases, Fang used conduits to conceal herself as a prohibited Foreign National source,” meaning she found U.S. nationals to make the donations on her behalf.
Fang reportedly asked contributors directly for donations and “promised” to reimburse them in some way, and the FBI noted that she “understood it was illegal” for her to contribute, but that she said she was “good at convincing other people to contribute.”
“[Fang] advised this may be a good way to create influence with Swalwell,” according to declassified documents.
Swalwell also admitted to the FBI in 2015 that he had a sexual relationship with Fang, and said in a 2016 interview with the FBI that he thought anyone Fang suggested for an internship was from the Asian Pacific Islander American Public Associations, which represented a key demographic for Swalwell. “A significant portion of SWALWELL’s constituents are Chinese American and diversity is important,” the documents state.
According to the documents, Swalwell may have been compromised from the very beginning of his congressional career, meeting Fang in 2012 during his first campaign for the House. He started having “physical relations” with her, “but never dated her or had a romantic relationship. March 2015 was the last time Swalwell had physical relations with Fang. Swalwell considered their physical relations to be casual, but believed that Fang was interested in a closer, romantic relationship.”
Prior to Freshman Fifteen undercover operation, the FBI attempted to recruit Fang as an informant on Chinese attempts to conduct influence operations on public officials. According to FBI memos on “Rusty Thumbs” (Fang’s FBI codename), she would not talk in much detail about China, but spoke openly about her operation to get donations to Swalwell’s campaign. --->READ MORE HERE
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