Julia Varvaro controversy: Paul Ingrassia revealed as surprising connection amid ‘Sugar Daddy’ claims
Julia Varvaro, a senior US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) official, has been placed on administrative leave following allegations of having personal relationships and living the “sugar baby” lifestyle, the Daily Mail reported.
Varvaro has been the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Counterterrorism since 2025. She is now being investigated after her ex-partner informed authorities that her actions might be a “security risk.” She was removed from active activities while the investigation was being conducted as a result of the complaint, which prompted an internal assessment.
The Daily Mail reported on Thursday that Varvaro had an exceptionally snug contact with Paul Ingrassia, a controversial advisor to President Donald Trump.
Read more: Lorna Hajdini: JPMorgan exec’s social media activity in focus amid allegations
Ingrassia’s mystery woman from Florida
According to the Daily Mail, during a work trip to Florida in July of last year, Varvaro was the mystery woman who shared a room with 30-year-old Ingrassia. This arrangement prompted an investigation when coworkers accused him of manipulation.
Following a news report from Politico, Varvaro denied any misconduct, and the probe was eventually dismissed. Ingrassia also refuted the accusations and filed a defamation lawsuit against Politico for covering the hotel incident in an article titled “Key Trump nominee accused of sexual harassment.”
However, Politico maintains the integrity of its reporting.
Ingrassia has denied wrongdoing, and his representatives have described the allegations as false and politically motivated. Despite the controversy, he has continued to hold government-related roles. Ingrassia’s lawsuit claims that he and Varvaro had a platonic relationship that began well before Trump’s second term.
However, two of Varvaro’s ex-boyfriends have questioned those assertions, accusing her of going too far with Ingrassia.
Varvaro complained against Ingrassia?
Varvaro had apparently previously filed a workplace complaint accusing Ingrassia of inappropriate conduct during a work trip, including claims that she was pressured into sharing a hotel room.
According to Politico’s October report, Varvaro, who was unnamed then, didn’t have a room when she checked in. The report had claimed that she first objected to the arrangement and ultimately ended up sleeping in a separate bed.
The Daily Mail said that although Ingrassia was investigated, Varvaro later dropped her allegations. Varvaro, however, stated that she never felt uneasy around her longtime friend and denied ever filing a report or accusing Ingrassia of any misconduct.
However, Varvaro’s Hinge date from December 2025, Robert Bianchi told Daily Mail that Varvaro admitted to him that she occasionally felt uneasy about Ingrassia.
Bianchi said, “Julia said Ingrassia was madly in love with her.”
The Daily Mail was informed by another DHS official that Ingrassia was “pining after her.” The official said, “Julia is beautiful and Paul is Paul. He had a lot of power in personnel decision making. He could help her get to where she wanted to go and she was not the type to turn that down or shy away from it.”
Read more: ‘You are a force…’: Lorna Hajdini remark surfaces amid sexual abuse allegations
Bianchi filed a report with Inspector General
Early in April, Robert Bianchi submitted his complaint to the Inspector General over claims that Varvaro maintained a profile on a dating platform associated with “sugar baby” arrangements and received expensive gifts, travel, and financial support during a short-lived relationship. Bianchi alleged he spent tens of thousands of dollars during their time together and raised concerns about financial pressures and judgment.
Homeland Security took action a few hours after the Daily Mail revealed the sugar daddy story. According to a spokesman, Julia Varvaro is no longer working as DHS’s Deputy Assistant Secretary and is on administrative leave due to the investigation.
Meanwhile, Ingrassia is currently in charge of a group of lawyers tasked with carrying out the president’s executive orders as the US General Services Administration’s Acting General Counsel.