A young woman accusing former Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-Calif.) of inappropriate behavior says she still reflects on how narrowly she avoided a dangerous situation—calling the experience something that left her shaken “to the core.”
Speaking publicly for the first time, Annika Albrecht told CBS News on Tuesday that her interactions with married congressman Eric Swalwell began after they met during a college class trip. According to Albrecht, Swalwell initially framed their communication as a professional mentorship before asking to connect on Snapchat.
Eric Swalwell Accuser Set to Detail S-x–l Assault Claims at L.A. Presser https://t.co/RtDzZCXP9s via @TMZ
— Criminal Aftermath (@Plow69853) April 14, 2026
She alleges the messages soon escalated into what she described as “s-x–lly inappropriate” exchanges, culminating in an invitation to meet him at a hotel. “I keep thinking about how lucky I am that I didn’t go to that hotel,” Albrecht said, noting that she cut off contact shortly after. “It was very clear what the connotation was.”
Her account comes as another woman has accused Swalwell of s-x–lly assaulting her in a New York City hotel room in 2024. Rep. Eric Swalwell’s swift departure signifies a sudden fall from grace for the seven-term representative.
He has recently been accused by several women of s-x–l misconduct spanning several years. Reports claim he sent s-x–lly suggestive messages and n-de photographs via Snapchat.
🚨🇺🇸 2022 footage of Eric Swalwell at a late-night St. Tropez yacht party in a robe just resurfaced right as sexual harassment allegations pile up.
A Chinese spy, ethics investigations, and now this.
The resignation is making more sense by the hour…pic.twitter.com/GyLrRTcDEu https://t.co/zWztA3UC3E
— Mario Nawfal (@MarioNawfal) April 14, 2026
While Swalwell has stepped down from Congress, the former California Representative has denied wrongdoing. “I am deeply sorry to my family, staff, and constituents for mistakes in judgment I’ve made in my past,” he said in a statement shared on social media. “I will fight the serious false allegation made against me. However, I must take responsibility and ownership for the mistakes I did make.”
Two of the women who say they were targeted by Swalwell—Ally Sammarco and Annika Albrecht—said they chose to speak out in part to prevent what they fear could have been decades of harm to “future victims.” Both women said they felt some validation after Eric Swalwell abruptly resigned from Congress on Monday and withdrew from California’s gubernatorial race following a wave of s-x–l assault and r-pe allegations.
“He thought he was untouchable. He acted with total impunity. He never thought that the consequences of his actions would follow him,” Sammarco said. “As governor, he would have had even more power and more authority. And he would have felt vindicated too, you know, that he could run for higher office.”
Albrecht, who publicly shared her claims for the first time in the interview, said she does not believe justice has yet been achieved. “Until he can’t ever harm a woman ever again — and he has faced the consequences for the women that he has harmed,” she said, describing what accountability would look like to her.
Both women said their alleged interactions with Eric Swalwell occurred when they were young and pursuing careers in politics. Sammarco claimed she first connected with him in 2021 after reaching out on Twitter. She said she initially felt “like a million bucks” when he offered to help advance her career, but alleged that their exchanges soon became inappropriate. She ultimately claimed that Swalwell sent her a photo of his genitals via Snapchat.
EXCLUSIVE: Two Swalwell accusers share their accusations and decisions to come forward: “He thought he was untouchable.” https://t.co/WdZJlDwCBr
— CBS News (@CBSNews) April 14, 2026
Albrecht has said that Swalwell tried to convince her to meet him at a hotel after she received messages she described as “inappropriate” on Snapchat. “I keep thinking: What if I went to that hotel?” she said. It was very clear what the connotation was.”
Her testimony follows allegations by several women over the past few weeks of inappropriate behavior dating back years, including accusations that he sent inappropriate messages and nude photographs on Snapchat. The former congressman has not stopped contesting the allegations, even after stepping down.
Erix Swalwell, an Iowa native, and was elected to Congress in 2012, representing a district east of San Francisco. He launched his campaign for president in April 2019 but withdrew from the race later that year.
Swalwell was an outspoken critic of Donald Trump during his first term as president. During that time, Swalwell was a member of the House Judiciary Committee and House Intelligence Committee. He was also named one of the House managers during Trump’s second impeachment over the January 6, 2021 attack on the Capitol, Newsweek reports.
Eric Swalwell was ousted from his seat on the Intelligence Committee in 2023 by House Speaker Kevin McCarthy due to his previous relationship with a suspected Chinese government spy named Christine Fang.
Democrats began calling for Eric Swalwell to resign from Congress following revelations earlier this week. California Senator Adam Schiff, who recently pulled his endorsement for Swalwell’s candidacy for governor, said Monday that “the whole thing is just shocking and deeply upsetting” to reporters.
