A senior counterterrorism official in the Trump administration,Julia Varvaro, is under internal investigation in Washington after an ex-boyfriend formally accused her of cultivating 'sugar daddy' relationships to bankroll a lavish lifestyle, according to a complaint reviewed by the US Department of Homeland Security's (DHS) watchdog and reported by theDaily Mailon Wednesday.

The scrutiny around Julia Varvaro, 29, follows an official complaint to the DHS Inspector General from a wealthy executive who said he dated her for three months after they met on the app Hinge. The man, identified only as 'Robert B,' alleges that during their short relationship, he spent tens of thousands of dollars on first-class holidays, designer jewellery, and luxury shopping, only to discover she allegedly had a profile on the sugar-daddy platform Seeking under the name 'Alessia.' Varvaro, who has served as Deputy Assistant Secretary for Counterterrorism since May 2025, has denied creating or using the Seeking profile.

TheDaily Mailreported that the Seeking account, which has since been removed, used a photograph taken from Varvaro's Instagram and billed 'Alessia' as offering 'seductive sophistication.' The profile allegedly described her as 'flirty, fun and fond of sultry spaces' and stated that she was 'drawn to a masculine man who's attentive, protective and quietly playful for mutually beneficial experiences.' The site page itself has not been made public, and nothing has been independently verified beyond what is contained in the outlet's reporting and the complaint.

Another Trump Team Embarrassment🇺🇸 DHS Counterterrorism Official Julia Varvaro Under Investigation Over 'Sugar Daddy' ComplaintVarvaro, 29, Trump's Deputy Assistant Secretary for Counterterrorism, is facing a formal DHS Inspector General complaint after a man claims he spent…pic.twitter.com/HGRifjYE27

The news came after Robert lodged his complaint with the DHS Inspector General, warning that Varvaro's personal conduct could represent a security vulnerability.

In his written statement, seen by theDaily Mail, he claimed he was effectively treated as a 'sugar daddy' despite making clear he did not want 'a sugar daddy/prostitution relationship.'

Robert said that over roughly three months, he spent between $30,000 and $40,000 on Varvaro, paying for first-class trips to Aruba, Italy, San Diego, and South Carolina, as well as Cartier jewellery, luxury handbags, and repeated shopping excursions. He alleged that Varvaro told him she had no university debt because 'sugar daddies' had covered her education, and that an estimated $40,000 worth of jewellery on her 'wrists and ears' were 'trophies' from previous benefactors.

In his view, that pattern of behaviour was not merely distasteful but dangerous. 'I believe that she's under financial stress and that her actions pose a security risk,' he wrote, arguing that a senior counterterrorism official with such alleged financial dependency could be vulnerable to coercion or blackmail.

This is incredible. The Trump administration hired an alleged “sugar baby”, imo just a hooker, as a senior counterterrorism official.After Noem and her ‘husband’ and lover is Trump’s admin full of perverts? WHERE IS THE VETTING?pic.twitter.com/GepWdIwP68

A security expert quoted by theDaily Mailechoed that concern, saying that in a 'senior counterterrorism role, those behaviours open you up to blackmail and show compromised judgment while putting national security at risk.' DHS has not publicly commented on the case or the internal investigation, and there is no indication yet of any disciplinary action.

Source: International Business Times UK