Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s team is delving into allegations of sexual assault against the beleaguered Rep. Eric Swalwell. The California Democrat had suspended his bid to succeed Governor Gavin Newsom after these accusations surfaced last week.

Moreover, the House Ethics Committee declared on Monday that it has initiated its own investigation regarding the sexual misconduct claims.

A former aide has accused Swalwell of sexually assaulting her on two occasions when she was incapacitated from alcohol, one instance allegedly occurring in New York City in 2024, as reported by the San Francisco Chronicle on Friday.

Rep. Eric Swalwell was photographed speaking at a press event at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., on January 25, 2023. (Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)

The unnamed woman told the paper that she was hired at 21 to work in Swalwell’s district office in 2019 and claimed her married boss began pursuing her weeks later. She reportedly claimed he sent her naked pictures over Snapchat and asked for oral sex in a parking lot during a ride home from an event. On another occasion, she claimed to have awoken naked in Swalwell’s bed after blacking out drinking.

The New York investigation stems from separate allegations in the article, when she was no longer an employee of Swalwell’s office. They allegedly met up for drinks after a gala in Manhattan at around 11:30 p.m. on April 25, 2024.

Rep. Eric Swalwell waves before speaking at the California Democratic Party State Convention in San Francisco, Feb. 21, 2026. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)

According to the report, she claimed to remember only “snippets of the night,” including telling Swalwell “no.” Three days later, she reportedly told a friend she believed she was sexually assaulted.

“I have no skin in the game of who becomes governor of California, but I feel people have a right to know whether the person who leads a state that is a safe haven for so many women actually treats women with dignity and will protect their rights,” the Chronicle quoted her as saying. “No one protected me from him, and so I have to protect the other young women like me who aspire to work in this field and he could prey upon.”

Eric Swalwell delivers a speech at the SEIU-United Service Workers West gubernatorial candidate forum in Los Angeles on Jan. 10, 2026. (Etienne Laurent/AFP via Getty Images)

She claimed she kept quiet for years, however, out of fear of retaliation.

“We urge survivors and anyone with knowledge of these allegations to contact our Special Victims Division at 212-335-9373,” a spokesperson for the DA’s office told Fox News over the weekend. “Our specially trained prosecutors, investigators and counselors are well-equipped to help you in a trauma-informed, survivor-centered manner.”

Swalwell has denied the allegations and apologized to his wife in a video posted online. He said he planned to fight the accusations but stepped out of the California governor’s race anyway.

“I will fight the serious, false allegations that have been made,” he wrote on X Sunday. “But that’s my fight, not a campaign’s.”

Since the initial report, several other women have come forward with other misconduct allegations.

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The enigma surrounding the construction of Egypt’s Great Pyramid might finally be unraveling. For years, historians and archaeologists have been puzzled by the methods employed to lift and arrange the enormous stone blocks, each weighing as much as 15 tons, without the benefit of modern technology. No historical documents have provided insights into their techniques.

In a groundbreaking development, a recent study proposes that the Pyramid of Khufu might have been erected using a concealed spiral ramp within its structure. This new theory could shed light on the ancient engineering marvel.

Vicente Luis Rosell Roig, a computer scientist, posits that the builders utilized an ‘edge ramp’—a sloped pathway along the pyramid’s outer perimeters. As each new layer was constructed, this ramp gradually became integrated into the pyramid itself.

This innovative approach would have negated the need for cumbersome external ramps, enabling workers to transport the massive stones upward in a more manageable manner, progressing methodically from one level to the next.

Instead of relying on massive external ramps, this would have allowed workers to move stones steadily upward, one level at a time.

The scale of the project is staggering. The pyramid stretches around 755 feet along each side of its base and rises to about 481 feet.

Historians estimate it was built from roughly 2.3 million stone blocks – a feat that required extraordinary planning and coordination during Pharaoh Khufu’s reign.

The new model also sheds light on how long the construction may have taken.

The construction of Egypt’s Great Pyramid has long baffled archaeologists, with no surviving ancient texts explaining how its massive stone blocks were lifted and assembled so quickly

Simulations suggest blocks could have been placed every four to six minutes – a fast, consistent pace.

At that rate, the pyramid could have been completed in just 14 to 21 years.

When quarrying, transport, and breaks for workers are factored in, the total timeline rises to around 20 to 27 years, in line with existing estimates.

Crucially, the theory could also explain why mysterious empty spaces have been detected inside the pyramid. It suggests parts of the hidden ramp could still be inside.

‘Old Kingdom technology precluded iron tools, wheeled heavy transport, and compound pulleys, but allowed copper chisels, water-lubricated sledges, ropes, levers, earthen works, and Nile barges,’ Rosell Roig said in a study in NPJ Heritage Science, published in March 2026.

‘Accordingly, we bound ramp slope, lane width/clearance, and friction, and evaluate the dispatch headway (time between placing successive blocks) required to satisfy the 20–27-year window, encoding these constraints as model parameters.’

For centuries, experts have debated how ancient builders managed to raise such massive materials with limited technology while maintaining the pyramid’s precise geometry.

Many earlier ramp theories struggled to explain how construction could continue efficiently without creating obstacles or requiring vast amounts of additional material.

Now, a new study proposes that the Pyramid of Khufu may have been built using a sophisticated hidden ramp system capable of moving stone blocks every few minutes

Rosell Roig’s research aimed to address these challenges by combining multiple forms of analysis into a single system.

According to the study, he built a computer model that simulated how stones were moved and how the structure stayed stable as it rose layer by layer.

At the center of the system is the IER ramp itself, a gradual path built into the pyramid’s outer structure rather than relying on massive external ramps.

Sections of the outer stone layers were temporarily left open to form the upward path, then filled in as work progressed, removing visible evidence of the ramp once construction was complete.

Rosell Roig described this method as ‘a helical path formed by omitting and backfilling perimeter courses,’ allowing the ramp to rise alongside the structure.

Timing proved to be one of the most important elements of the study. The model calculated that maintaining steady block placement intervals would allow construction to proceed within realistic historical timeframes.

When expanded to include additional logistical steps such as quarrying stone and transporting materials along the Nile, the overall construction window increased but remained consistent with accepted estimates.

Structural stability was another major focus, with staged finite-element analysis used to simulate the pressure created as each new layer of stone was added to the growing monument. 

The results showed that ‘stresses and settlements remain within plausible limits for Old Kingdom limestone under self-weight,’ indicating the structure could support its own immense mass throughout construction.

The model was also tested against physical observations already detected inside the pyramid. Imaging technology has revealed unexplained internal spaces, and the study found that the proposed ramp geometry corresponds with those features.

This design would have allowed workers to move stone blocks steadily upward without constructing massive external ramps that would have required enormous amounts of additional material

That alignment suggests the voids may not be accidental gaps, but structural elements created as part of the building process.

A key strength of the model is its ability to be tested. Rather than offering an unprovable idea, the research outlines measurable physical markers that archaeologists could investigate.

These include ‘falsifiable predictions (edge-fill signatures, corner wear),’ referring to specific patterns expected where ramps were filled in or where heavy traffic would have caused repeated wear.

According to Rosell Roig, the IER model helps solve several long-standing questions about how the pyramid was constructed efficiently without leaving visible traces.

He wrote that the system ‘helps reconcile throughput, survey access, and zero-footprint closure,’ meaning it allows construction to remain efficient while preserving the pyramid’s final appearance.

By combining logistics, geometry and structural modeling into a single framework, the study presents what it describes as a workable construction pathway grounded in measurable constraints.

If future archaeological investigations confirm the predicted physical evidence, the findings could reshape modern understanding of how one of the world’s most famous monuments was built, not through brute force alone, but through careful planning, engineering precision and a construction method designed to disappear into the finished structure itself.

Bahamian authorities are racing against a Monday evening deadline to either formally charge Brian Hooker or set him free. Hooker, the husband of the missing Michigan boater Lynette Hooker, remains in custody as officials investigate her mysterious disappearance near Elbow Cay.

Detained since last week, Brian Hooker is currently under scrutiny in connection with his wife’s vanishing. According to Hooker’s attorney, authorities have until approximately 7:20 p.m. ET on Monday to determine if they will press charges or release him.

Meanwhile, the search for Lynette Hooker continues by air, land, and sea. However, officials have now transitioned the operation from a rescue mission to a recovery effort, reflecting the grim outlook.

Police reports indicate that Lynette disappeared after she fell overboard during a boating excursion near Elbow Cay on a Saturday evening.

Final hours under scrutiny

The last confirmed sighting of Lynette Hooker was on the night of April 4. She and her husband had departed from the Abaco Inn on a dinghy, en route back to their anchored yacht.

Fox News Digital previously retraced the route — a short trip through waters local experts say are typically shallow, clear and heavily trafficked.

According to Brian Hooker’s account, Lynette fell overboard in worsening weather and strong winds. He has said the couple was not wearing life jackets and that the dinghy lost power after the ignition key went into the water.

In a recorded phone call obtained by CBS, Hooker described the incident as a series of mistakes, saying Lynette “basically just bounced off the dinghy” before he lost sight of her in the dark.

He has said he later paddled for help after searching for her.

WATCH: Volunteer fire and rescue team searches for missing Lynette Hooker

Family raises concerns

In an interview on Ashleigh Banfield’s “Drop Dead Serious” podcast, Lynette’s mother described a volatile relationship and said her daughter had left her husband multiple times in the past.

“They had a lot of highs and a lot of lows,” she said. “When there were bad times, they were bad times.”

She alleged Brian Hooker could become “mean” and “hateful” when drinking and said there had been instances where he became physical, adding she had long feared for her daughter’s safety.

Lynette had been planning to leave the marriage, her mother said in the interview.

Separately, Lynette’s daughter, Karli Aylesworth, has questioned Brian Hooker’s version of events, saying the circumstances surrounding her mother’s disappearance “don’t add up.” 

An Oak Town Volunteer Fire and Rescue boat searches for missing Lynette Hooker on Sunday, April 5, 2026 near Marsh Harbor, Bahamas. (Abaco Asian Market)

In a previous appearance on “Fox & Friends,” she also alleged he had been physically violent in the past.

“I’ve seen him choke out one of his daughters before. And we had to go to court for that,” Aylesworth said. “So he’s just repeating patterns.”

General view of Marsh Harbour Boatyards, The Bahamas, Tuesday, April 7, 2026. Brian Hooker, 58, reportedly paddle his boat back to the boatyards on Sunday morning after losing his wife, Lynette Hooker at sea. (AJ Skuy for Fox News Digital)

Brian Hooker has denied wrongdoing and has spoken publicly about the incident, saying in a Facebook post that he is “heartbroken.”

“I am heartbroken over the recent boat accident in unpredictable seas and high winds that caused my beloved Lynette to fall from our small dinghy near Elbow Cay in the Bahamas,” he wrote. “Despite desperate attempts to reach her, the winds and currents drove us further apart. We continue to search for her and that is my sole focus.”

An Oak Town Volunteer Fire and Rescue boat searches for missing Lynette Hooker on Sunday, April 5, 2026 near Marsh Harbor Bahamas. (Abaco Asian Market)

Attorney: Hooker denies wrongdoing

Hooker’s attorney said his client wants “closure” to find out what happened to his wife.

“He denied the allegations and he maintained his innocence,” Terrel Butler said, adding that a decision on whether to charge him would likely come before the deadline.

The attorney also said the case would ultimately be handled by prosecutors, not just investigating officers, and that Hooker is “drained and tired” as he awaits a decision.

If he is not charged by the deadline, authorities would be required to release him, though re-arrest remains a possibility under Bahamian law.

Search continues as deadline nears

Lynette Hooker and Brian Hooker seen in a picture taken in 2023 on a small boat. (John Waters)

A flotation device believed to have been thrown to Lynette was recovered, according to multiple reports, but authorities have not announced that they have found her body.

Royal Bahamas Defence Force Commander Origin Deleveaux told NBC News that authorities were continuing to search for Lynette, and that early efforts were complicated by severe weather.

Fox News Digital has also reported that local boaters say it would be unusual for someone to disappear without a trace in the area due to the water clarity and proximity to land.

The Hookers had documented their boating lifestyle online after buying and restoring a sailboat in Texas, eventually making their way to the Bahamas.

Fox News Digital has reached out to the Royal Bahamas Police Force and Hooker’s attorney for additional comment.

The heartbreaking news of Dolly Martinez’s passing has left fans of “My 600-lb Life” in mourning. At just 30 years old, the reality TV star’s death has now been attributed to congestive heart failure, according to her mother, Staci Thurman.

In a statement shared with TMZ, Thurman disclosed that her daughter spent her final moments surrounded by family and friends at a hospital in Fort Worth. Martinez had been grappling with health complications for some time before seeking medical assistance on March 29.

Upon her arrival at the hospital, doctors identified fluid accumulation in her heart and lungs, a critical condition that led to her being placed in a medically-induced coma. The following day, her condition necessitated the use of a ventilator, as reported by TMZ.

TMZ reports that Martinez sought treatment at the hospital on March 29 after a period of being ill and suffering from medical issues. 

She had fluid on her heart and lungs when she went to the hospital and was placed in a medically-induced coma followed by a ventilator the next day, the outlet reports. 

Sadly, she did not recover.  

Dolly Martinez died of congestive heart failure, her mother has revealed to TMZ

Her half-sister and best friend Lindsey Cooper was among those present for the passing and announced the loss with a touching tribute praising the woman who ‘could light up any room.’ 

‘It is with a heavy heart that I share the passing of my beautiful sister, Dolly,’ she began in a post uploaded to Facebook. ‘Dolly had the brightest personality. She could light up any room with her laughter, her kindness, and her loving spirit. She had a way of making everyone feel special, and her warmth will stay with us forever.

‘While our hearts are broken here, I find comfort in knowing she is now reunited with our dad in heaven. I can only imagine the joy of that reunion. Rest peacefully, Dolly. You will always be loved, always be missed, and never forgotten.’

Days before her sister’s death, Cooper had taken to Facebook with an alarming post that read: ‘Today is national siblings day and it for sure was a hard one. I haven’t made any post or let many [people] know but my sister Dolly is in the hospital and is fighting for her life. 

‘At this time I ask for prayers and privacy as we as a family navigate through this hard time.’

At age 25, Dolly weighed 593 pounds and was on oxygen when her episode of My 600-Lb. Life aired in 2022. 

She sought the help of Dr. Now to lose the weight and ultimately lost 40 pounds. However, she did not qualify for weight loss surgery. 

Martinez laid bare the turmoil she was in during her episode, saying food was the ‘only thing powerful enough to distract me from darker thoughts.’

Martinez, who appeared on an episode of My 600-Lb Life, died at 30-years-old

‘Food is my go-to drug that takes my pain away,’ she said and called it ‘more than just a pleasure, it’s my reason for existing.’

‘I can’t wait for the first bite of something that will make me forget about all the misery of my life,’ she said. ‘Food has caused all of the things I hate about my life but it’s the only thing I’ve ever had to make me feel good.’

Martinez’s eating issues began long ago.  

‘Ever since I can remember, food was just a coping thing… It just made me happy. It still does. Food just makes me happy.’

On the show, Martinez recalled being raised by her single mother after her father left the family due to his drug addiction.

‘I was left alone a lot and that’s how it started, my relationship with food,’ she said.

On the show, Dolly said food was the ‘only thing powerful enough to distract me from darker thoughts’

Martinez, right, ultimately lost 40 pounds but didn’t qualify for weight loss surgery on the show

‘Whenever I would think of my dad, I would turn to food and I liked the feeling I had when I was eating.’

Martinez’s mom Staci appeared on the show and gave insight into her daughter’s troubled childhood.

‘Dolly [was] always a bit different than other children,’ she explained. ‘And other kids [were] harsh and cruel so I’ve always been the overprotective mother.’ 

Her mom added, ‘Being singled out as the fat girl is quite uncomfortable.’ 

Following her appearance on TV, the blue-haired star wrote in her Instagram bio that she was no longer homeless, ‘losing weight and feeling good.’

The profile account was made private, but she declared in the visible portion that she was ‘living day by day’ and that she loved ‘God and Family.’

‘I can see how much I’m losing. It’s a journey and I’m seeing my worth now,’ she wrote in a June 2024 Instagram post, according to Us Weekly.