Ex-gubernatorial candidate Stephen Cloobeck arrested in Los Angeles County

LOS ANGELES - Real estate developer and former gubernatorial candidate Stephen Cloobeck, who exited the race in November, was arrested in Los Angeles County on Tuesday.

Jail records show Cloobeck, 64, was arrested before 11 a.m. and booked at the West Hollywood station on $300,000 bail, according to Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department jail booking records.

He was freed at 1:17 p.m. that afternoon, according to jail records.

Details on why Cloobeck was arrested were not immediately available.

For a short time, Cloobeck was among the crowded field running for state governor.

But he bowed out in November, announcing on CNN he was throwing his support behind then-Congressman Eric Swalwell.

It was the philanthropist's first-ever political campaign, which he funded through a fortune amassed in the real estate industry. In a UC Berkeley poll co-sponsored by The Times last fall, Cloobeck received less than half of 1% of the support of registered voters.

Cloobeck said he had launched his run because he could not find a single qualified candidate - until he endorsed Swalwell.

Swalwell exited the race and resigned from Congress amid a sex scandal last month.

Copyright 2026 Tribune Content Agency. All Rights Reserved.

This story was originally published May 13, 2026 at 8:57 AM.