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Despite questions surrounding her legal work status during that gap period, social media posts from 2023 and 2024 appear to show Barbosa continuing to care for the Swalwell children. Some of these images—since deleted—reportedly captured her presence at family outings, including White House events and holiday celebrations.
The situation has now escalated into formal complaints. On February 16, filmmaker and political activist Joel Gilbert filed a complaint with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), alleging that Swalwell used campaign funds to pay Barbosa for roughly two years while she was not legally authorized to work. The complaint frames this as both employing and harboring an individual without proper status.
A second complaint was submitted on April 8 to the Department of Labor. This filing alleges that Swalwell and his wife, Brittany, may have provided inaccurate or misleading information to federal authorities in order to extend Barbosa’s employment beyond the expiration of her visa.
Meanwhile, a third complaint, filed with the FEC in February 2026, raises additional concerns about the scale of campaign spending. It alleges that more than $200,000 in campaign funds were used for childcare—potentially exceeding the limits set by a 2022 FEC advisory opinion. That guidance permits certain childcare reimbursements, but only under narrow circumstances, such as overnight care during campaign travel when a spouse is unavailable.
These financial allegations come at a time when Swalwell is already facing mounting pressure over separate claims involving alleged personal misconduct. Reports from both the San Francisco Chronicle and CNN have detailed accusations from four different women.
One former staffer, who began working in Swalwell’s district office at age 21, alleged two separate incidents of sexual assault. According to the reports, one incident took place in 2019 while she was still employed by his office, and another allegedly occurred in April 2024 in a New York hotel room following an awards event. She claims she was too intoxicated to give consent in both situations.
CNN’s reporting also included additional allegations from three other women, citing claims of inappropriate behavior ranging from unwanted physical contact to the alleged sending of explicit material without consent.
Authorities have confirmed that the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office is currently reviewing the claims.
Swalwell has strongly denied all allegations, insisting they are politically motivated attacks. Nevertheless, the political fallout has been swift and severe. His gubernatorial ambitions appear to be unraveling, with major endorsements evaporating and key staff members stepping down.
Lawmakers from both parties have begun to weigh in, with some calling for his resignation as the controversies continue to intensify.
As investigations move forward, the mounting allegations—spanning financial conduct and personal behavior—have placed Swalwell in an increasingly precarious position, raising serious questions about accountability, ethics, and the future of his political career.
