Billionaire Democrat donor Stephen Cloobeck has been arrested on allegations of tampering with an upcoming court trial. The real estate tycoon, who briefly ran for Governor of California, is accused of attempting to prevent or dissuade a witness from testifying.
Arrest and Release
Police records indicate that Cloobeck turned himself in to Los Angeles authorities in West Hollywood on Tuesday morning after a warrant was issued for his arrest. He was released later that day at 1:17 PM after posting a $300,000 bond. The 64-year-old founder of timeshare company Diamond Resorts has denied the allegations. In a statement released through his lawyers, he said: 'These charges are false and we look forward to our day in court.' If convicted on the felony charge, the billionaire could face up to four years in prison.
Connection to Eric Swalwell
Cloobeck was a longtime donor to Eric Swalwell, a former Democrat Congressman, until sexual assault allegations against Swalwell emerged in mid-April. Hours before Swalwell dropped his bid for California Governor, Cloobeck told the New York Post that he was no longer supporting him and had kicked him out of his Los Angeles mansion. 'I am no longer supporting Eric,' Cloobeck said on April 12. 'F***ing tell everyone I'm a libertarian. F*** you, Democrat Party. I'm a libertarian now.'
Wedding Controversy
Cloobeck also made headlines last month after his wedding to Penthouse Pet model Adva Lavie was thrown into disarray when she was accused of robbing wealthy older men. Lavie, 28, was ordered to wear an ankle monitor after pleading not guilty in a Los Angeles courtroom in early April to six felonies, including grand theft, burglary, and unauthorized use of identifying information.
Donations and Allegations
Cloobeck gave more than $1 million to Swalwell's campaign, and he is now among hundreds of supporters trying to reclaim their donations through an attorney. He told the Post that Swalwell had been staying at his Beverly Hills mansion, but he kicked him out as soon as he heard about the allegations. 'I have a lot of people who stay at my house,' Cloobeck said. 'I built a gorgeous place, my dream home, I relish it, and I'm a very generous man. I'm very thoughtful and I'm very kind.'
Swalwell's Allegations
Swalwell has been accused of sexually assaulting at least five women, including a former employee. The married Congressman was among a group of Democrats leading the race to replace Gavin Newsom as California Governor, but his campaign imploded after shocking claims emerged on April 10. Swalwell denied the accusations in a social media post two days later while announcing his resignation from the gubernatorial race. 'I will fight the serious, false allegations that have been made - but that's my fight, not a campaign's,' he wrote.
The first allegation against Swalwell was made by a former employee who spoke anonymously with the San Francisco Chronicle on April 10. Three women have spoken on the record about their experiences: Lonna Drewes, Ally Sammarco, and Annika Albrecht. Drewes told a news conference she believes Swalwell drugged and raped her in 2018. Sammarco said she received unsolicited nude photographs from Swalwell on Snapchat. Albrecht said Swalwell sent her 'sexually inappropriate' messages on Snapchat. Swalwell has maintained that the allegations are false. Attorney Sara Azari released a statement on Swalwell's behalf saying he 'categorically and unequivocally denies each and every allegation of sexual misconduct and assault that has been leveled against him.'
Swalwell has been married to Brittany Watts, a sales director at the Ritz-Carlton in Half Moon Bay, since October 2016, and they share three children together.
