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Amid Eric Swalwell sexual assault row, report alleges California Dem broke law by hiring Brazilian nanny
As the Eric Swalwell sexual misconduct case unravels, new revelations were made on Saturday
As the Eric Swalwell sexual misconduct case unravels, new revelations were made on Saturday. The New York Post cited filings to the Department of Labor and Department of Homeland Security to report that the California Democrat, deemed as the frontrunner in the state's gubernatorial race, broke immigration and employment laws by hiring a Brazilian live-in nany.
Eric Swalwell's Amanda Barbosa link
The claims outlined in filings obtained by The Post allege that Swalwell and his wife Brittany knowingly kept Brazilian national Amanda Barbosa employed despite lapses in her work authorization. Barbosa, 33, had entered the United States in January 2021 from Rio de Janeiro on an au pair visa and began working for the family later that year.
According to one complaint filed Tuesday, the couple allegedly misled federal authorities in 2022 when Barbosa’s temporary work authorization was nearing expiration. A separate complaint submitted in February claims that Barbosa was paid 'under the table' using campaign funds for roughly two years while she was not legally permitted to work.Eric Swalwell
Amanda Barbosa's social media in focus
“Barbosa appears in numerous social media photos with the Swalwell family throughout 2023 and 2024, indicating continued close association and ongoing childcare responsibilities despite the absence of known lawful work authorization,” the DHS complaint, dated February 16, alleged, as per the publication.
Campaign finance records reviewed in the filings show Barbosa was paid $3,914 in 2021 and $46,930 in 2022 directly from campaign funds, The Post added. After her visa expired in December 2022, Swalwell reportedly began sponsoring her for a green card, a process that stretched into 2024. During that period, she enrolled in community college, which would have restricted her from working off campus under student visa rules.
Despite those restrictions, the complaints allege Barbosa continued to serve as a full-time nanny. Social media images cited in the filings show her caring for the Swalwell children at family events, including White House picnics and holidays. Her now-deleted LinkedIn profile also reportedly listed continuous employment as a private childcare provider from 2021 onward.
$52,000 childcare payments
Financial records indicate that direct payments to Barbosa later stopped, but campaign filings show over $52,000 in childcare expenses reimbursed to Swalwell himself. The complaint alleges this was a workaround to conceal continued payments while Barbosa lacked valid work authorization.
“It’s a brazen disregard for the law. He’s harboring and employing an illegal,” said filmmaker and activist Joel Gilbert, who filed the complaints.
The Department of Labor confirmed that Barbosa’s permanent labor certification was approved in 2024. By 2025, she was again listed in campaign payments, receiving $38,905, according to Federal Election Commission data.
Eric Swalwell sexual assault row
The allegations come as Swalwell’s gubernatorial campaign faces turbulence following multiple sexual assault claims, including one from a former staffer who has accused him of rape, an allegation he has strongly denied. “These allegations are false and come on the eve of an election against the frontrunner for governor,” Swalwell has said in response to those claims.
“For nearly 20 years, I have served the public - as a prosecutor and a congressman and have always protected women. I will defend myself with the facts and where necessary bring legal action.”
Swalwell is also reportedly under review by the Federal Election Commission over the use of campaign funds for childcare expenses, though no findings of wrongdoing have been announced.
