{"id":362297,"date":"2026-06-16T03:27:30","date_gmt":"2026-06-16T03:27:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/362297\/"},"modified":"2026-06-16T03:27:30","modified_gmt":"2026-06-16T03:27:30","slug":"sources-doj-investigations-tied-to-newsom-wifes-finances","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/362297\/","title":{"rendered":"Sources: DOJ investigations tied to Newsom, wife\u2019s finances"},"content":{"rendered":"

The U.S. Department of Justice is investigating the finances of First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom, according to two sources familiar with the investigation.<\/p>\n

The probe focuses on Siebel Newsom\u2019s taxes and nonprofits connected to her and Gov. Gavin Newsom, according to a federal source and a source within Siebel Newsom\u2019s office who were not authorized to speak publicly.<\/p>\n

The federal source said there were \u201cseveral\u201d investigations into the Newsoms that had been ongoing for roughly one year, and originated out of whistleblower complaints submitted to the U.S. Attorney\u2019s Office in Sacramento.<\/p>\n

One investigation is connected to the prosecution of Dana Williamson, Newsom\u2019s former chief of staff who pleaded guilty to fraud and lying to the FBI last month. Another investigation is related to Siebel Newsom\u2019s taxes, and could potentially ensnare current staff members, the source said.<\/p>\n

Spokespeople for the DOJ, U.S. Attorney\u2019s Office, and FBI all declined to comment. McGregor Scott, a former federal prosecutor representing Williamson, said he had not been contacted as of Monday morning.<\/p>\n

Newsom\u2019s office said IRS and FBI agents had reached out to \u201cdozens\u201d of the couple\u2019s employees and associates in the last week to ask about the Newsoms\u2019 finances and business dealings, but did not appear to be following any particular line of inquiry. The office said it believed investigators had also obtained both Newsoms\u2019 bank records.<\/p>\n

In a video statement posted to social media, Newsom claimed the White House is \u201cabusing the grand jury process\u201d to target him and his wife after months of antagonizing President Donald Trump and ahead of his planned run for president in 2028.<\/p>\n

On Monday afternoon, Newsom sent out a fundraising email soliciting donations to help \u201cfight off this political witch hunt.\u201d<\/p>\n

The White House has not identified a specific allegation, Newsom said, but is instead conducting interviews and requesting records in efforts to identify crimes allegedly committed by the governor and his wife dating back to their first forays into politics and business starting in the late 1990s and early 2000s.<\/p>\n

This month, federal investigators began contacting donors, former and current employees, board members and donors connected to nonprofits and organizations connected to Siebel Newsom and Newsom, according to the source in Siebel Newsom\u2019s office.<\/p>\n

Siebel Newsom, who has been married to Newsom since 2008 and maintains a higher profile than other state governors\u2019 spouses, has been the subject of several recent articles<\/a> in right-wing news outlets<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Newsom\u2019s office said neither he nor Siebel Newsom had received subpoenas as of Monday, but were sure they were coming and that \u201cthe governor looks forward to it.\u201d<\/p>\n

In the video, Newsom called Trump \u201cthe most corrupt president in American history\u201d and said he was being targeted because \u201cI am considering running for president\u201d in 2028. He cited Trump\u2019s other Democratic opponents who have come under scrutiny or prosecution in recent months, like New York Attorney General Letitia James, former FBI director James Comey and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere are clearly no boundaries to what Donald Trump will do to get his way or to challenge those who get in his way,\u201d Siebel Newsom said in a statement. \u201cThis is not presidential behavior, and the governor and I will continue to speak truth to power because the American people deserve so much more.\u201d<\/p>\n

Previous federal probes<\/p>\n

The source in Siebel Newsom\u2019s office said the current investigation began the same time that federal authorities began investigating Williamson, Newsom\u2019s former chief of staff.<\/p>\n

In 2022, the FBI \u2014 under the Biden administration \u2014 began probing Williamson for shutting down a state sexual harassment case<\/a> into video game company Activision Blizzard, whom Williamson previously consulted for being hired by Newsom. Williamson pleaded guilty last month<\/a> to fraud and lying to the FBI; she faces up to 38 years in prison and $1.35 million in fines.<\/p>\n

Newsom previously told The Sacramento Bee<\/a> the FBI had not interviewed him about Williamson\u2019s investigation, nor had he received any notification that agents had surveilled his communications after the FBI intercepted lobbyists\u2019 communications<\/a> during the Williamson probe.<\/p>\n

Investigation efforts intensified, Newsom\u2019s office said, after Todd Blanche became the acting head of the DOJ.<\/p>\n

\u201cAfter calling for my arrest last year, Donald Trump directed his Department of Justice to investigate me,\u201d Newsom said in a statement.<\/p>\n

The Newsoms\u2019 complicated finances<\/p>\n

Siebel Newsom draws a six-figure salary from Representation Project, a nonprofit she founded to finance her documentary films and promote feminism.<\/p>\n

The nonprofit paid her more than $161,250 last year for her 40-hour-a-week work as founder and COO, according to tax filings. It separately paid Siebel Newsom\u2019s related film production company, Girls Club Entertainment, an identical amount for contracting work.<\/p>\n

In all, Siebel Newsom earned roughly $3 million in salary and, through her company, licensing fees since 2015.<\/p>\n

In its filings, Representation Project said that GCE owns the copyright to four films written and produced by Siebel Newsom and has licensed it to the Representation Project for distribution.<\/p>\n

\u201cCosts incurred by GCE for production purposes, including the writer\/director\/producer fee, were reimbursed by The Representation Project,\u201d the nonprofit said in its returns.<\/p>\n

In 2021, The Bee reported on<\/a> ties between the nonprofit and companies that lobby the governor. Newsom denied a conflict of interest<\/a>. But the investigation by The Bee found more than $800,000 in donations to Representation Project from companies including PG&E, AT&T and Kaiser Permanente.<\/p>\n

Governor Newsom has solicited more than $4.8 million worth of donations since 2020 for another nonprofit, California Partners Project, which advocates for \u201cgender equity across the state,\u201d and where his wife serves on the board. More than a third of that \u2014 $1.8 million \u2014 came from the Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria, which operates the Graton Resort & Casino in Sonoma County.<\/p>\n

The so-called behested payments are legal under California law.<\/p>\n

The governor is also connected to the nonprofit California State Protocol Foundation, which pays for expenses Newsom incurs in his political activities. The group took in more than $5 million in gifts, grants and contributions from 2020 through 2024, according to its tax returns.<\/p>\n

The nonprofit didn\u2019t report paying any compensation to a staff or board, which includes two former Newsom aides, Steve Kawa and Jim DeBoo, as well as Sacramento Kings COO Matina Kolokotronis.<\/p>\n

This story was originally published June 15, 2026 at 11:51 AM.<\/p>\n

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