DHS official Julia Varvaro denies sugar dating claims as ex files complaint. Photos: X.
Julia Varvaro, a senior official at the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has come under investigation after allegations that she had a profile on a “sugar dating” platform. She has however denied the claims. Varvaro, 29, who serves as a deputy assistant secretary for counterterrorism, is accused of using a profile on Seeking.com, a platform commonly associated with relationships where younger people seek financial support from older, wealthier partners.
According to the report by Daily Mail, the profile operated under the name “Alessia” and described its owner as working for a government agency while offering “seductive sophistication.” The account reportedly featured the same photograph as Varvaro’s Instagram profile.
The profile described “Alessia” as “flirty, fun, and fond of sultry spaces,” and as someone “drawn to a masculine man who’s attentive, protective, and quietly playful for mutually beneficial experiences.”
The profile was brought to light by Varvaro’s former partner, identified by the publication as Robert B., an older executive and divorced father. The two reportedly met on the dating app Hinge.
According to the claims, Robert B. spent approximately $40,000 on Varvaro over a three-month period. This included funding first-class trips to Aruba and Italy. Their relationship allegedly ended after he declined to spend further money on her.
Text messages shared with the publication form part of his claims. He has also filed a formal complaint with the DHS Office of the Inspector General, citing concerns over the alleged profile.
The complaint reportedly flagged potential national security implications, alleging that Varvaro was under financial stress and that her actions could “pose a security risk.”
Varvaro’s social media accounts, as cited in the report, include photographs of her with former US President Donald Trump and former Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem.
Responding to the claims, Varvaro denied ever having a profile on Seeking.com, attributing the allegations to a disgruntled former partner.
“We were together in an exclusive relationship. We went on vacations. I don’t know what’s the problem with that,” she told the Daily Mail.
“I did nothing wrong. This is just a mad ex-boyfriend putting crap together. And it’s just really weird,” she added.
She further dismissed the controversy, stating, “If we made a story about every failed short relationship in DC, this town would implode. I thought it was a great relationship until we just didn’t work, and that was it.”
Sugar dating refers to a transactional relationship in which a younger individual, often termed a sugar baby, receives financial support, gifts, or other benefits from an older partner, known as a sugar daddy or sugar momma, in exchange for companionship or intimacy.
It involves “the exchange of companion-related services (sexual or non-sexual) for compensation.”
Julia Varvaro has a PhD, with her LinkedIn profile highlighting research focused on “analyzing broadcasting behaviors of lone-actor terrorists and active shooters radicalized by propaganda from an investigative psychology perspective.”
She completed both her Master’s degree and Bachelor of Science in business management at St. John’s University. Prior to joining DHS, she worked as an adjunct professor at the same institution.
Her professional experience also includes roles as a program analyst with FEMA and as a corporate security analyst at First Republic Bank.
A native of Long Island, Varvaro comes from a law enforcement family. Her father served with the New York Police Department and was involved in post-9/11 recovery efforts.
Recalling the impact of the September 11 attacks, she said, “I remember that day very vividly. Thank God my father, Anthony Varvaro, was fine and was able to assist with the clean-up for years after the attack. But it really impacted my dedication to counterterrorism and devotion to ensuring a brutal event like that never happens again.”
Zubair Amin is a Senior Journalist at NewsX with over seven years of experience in reporting and editorial work. He has written for leading national and international publications, including Foreign Policy Magazine, Al Jazeera, The Economic Times, The Indian Express, The Wire, Article 14, Mongabay, News9, among others. His primary focus is on international affairs, with a strong interest in US politics and policy. He also writes on West Asia, Indian polity, and constitutional issues. Zubair tweets at zubaiyr.amin
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