A Secret Service agent assigned to protect former President Barack Obama was fired after allegedly breaching security protocols by bringing his girlfriend to the Obamas' Hawaii residence and proposing they engage in intimate activities within the property. The allegations, detailed in a memoir by Koryeah Dwanyen, titled Undercover Heartbreak: a Memoir of Trust and Trauma, have triggered a scandal that raises serious questions about security lapses within the agency.
Dwanyen recounts receiving photos of the Obamas' beachfront mansion days before the visit in November 2022. The agent, referred to only as "Dale" in the memoir, allegedly invited her to the property, assuring her, "No one will know. If anything, I'm the one who could get in trouble." During the visit, she claims Dale suggested they "have sex in Michelle [Obama's] bathroom, like a mile-high club." The memoir further alleges that Dale shared sensitive information about protectees, including their schedules, private habits, and even code names.
In response to these allegations, Anthony Guglielmi, chief of communications for the Secret Service, confirmed the details and the subsequent investigation. "As soon as the Secret Service became aware of the incident, the agent involved was immediately suspended and, after a full investigation, terminated," Guglielmi stated. He emphasized that the actions represented an "unacceptable violation of our protocols, our protectees' trust and everything we stand for."
According to Dwanyen, she first met Dale during her vacation in Martha's Vineyard in 2022, while he was on duty with the Obama family's security detail. Their relationship quickly became complicated, with Dwanyen later discovering that the agent was still married despite claiming to be divorced. Her concerns grew as he shared increasingly sensitive information, which she felt posed a risk to national security.
In an interview with ABC News, Dwanyen detailed how the situation escalated to the point where she felt compelled to report her concerns directly to the agent's superior. "There were major red flags-breaches of trust and of his job," she explained. Dwanyen's communication led to an in-depth interview with the Secret Service's Office of Professional Responsibility. During this meeting, she reportedly provided photos and other evidence to substantiate her claims.
"They realized that not only had 'Dale' shared photos of the Obamas' house, but he had also brought me there," Dwanyen said, further revealing images of other high-profile figures' residences and private details. "He was really oversharing," Dwanyen recalled being told by one of the investigators.
In addition to photos of the Obamas' property, Dwanyen claims the agent provided her with sensitive details about various protectees, including former Vice President Mike Pence. "I knew their code names. I knew what day Orange Theory was, what day [Michelle Obama] had private tennis lessons and when her personal trainer came," Dwanyen said. She described feeling increasingly alarmed by the level of information being shared.
The incident has drawn sharp criticism and renewed scrutiny of the Secret Service, an agency that has faced challenges in recent years regarding security lapses. Guglielmi reaffirmed the agency's commitment to upholding its mission: "The U.S. Secret Service's top priority is ensuring the safety and security of our protectees, and any actions that compromise this commitment are addressed with the utmost seriousness."
