Former Windsor Mayor Dominic Foppoli to be named in wrongful termination suit from his brother, attorney says

Joe Foppoli, who served as chief operating officer of Christoper Creek Winery, is pursuing a wrongful termination claim against the business and his brother, former Windsor Mayor Dominic Foppoli, The Press Democrat has learned.

An attorney for Joe Foppoli said Monday that his client was fired after raising concerns about mismanagement and financial impropriety in the company.

Dominic Foppoli previously served as chief executive officer of the winery but was forced to step aside and resign as mayor in 2021 after nine women accused him of sexual assault or misconduct.

Eventually, more than a dozen women, including a fellow Windsor Town Council member, publicly accused Dominic of sexual assault or harassment between 2002 and 2021. Criminal investigations were opened in four states, but none led to charges. Three civil lawsuits, which also named Christopher Creek Winery, are ongoing. A number of the incidents, often involving alcohol, are alleged to have taken place at the winery.

Dominic Foppoli has denied the allegations, which were first reported in the San Francisco Chronicle in 2021.

Joe Foppoli directed a Press Democrat inquiry to his attorney, Michelle Neumann of Neumann Law, an employment law firm. She said that since the accusations came to light, Joe had pushed for Dominic to separate from Christopher Creek Winery entirely, but he remained a co-owner involved in management.

“Joe has for a long time opposed Dominic continuing to manage, but he never really relinquished control,” Neumann said. After Joe uncovered management practices that he believed violated state law as well as financial improprieties, “it was the last straw.”

Neumann said that when Joe pushed back and requested access to financial documents, he was terminated with Dominic leading the charge. Joe is a minority owner of the business.

Neumann did not provide specifics about the claims and violations against Dominic and Christopher Creek Winery but indicated that a lawsuit over wrongful termination will be filed shortly.

She said that a litigation hold letter, which directs the preservation of relevant documentation and other evidence, had been sent to all parties.

Representatives for the winery declined to comment.

Dominic Foppoli said in a text message to The Press Democrat that he was unaware of accusations related to financial impropriety and that his only understanding is that potential litigation seems related to an employee classification dispute.

Otherwise, he said, “I love my brother and his family and want nothing but the best for them. I pray that he can get through these challenging times.”

Dominic noted that he currently lives in Italy and that the issue is being handled by management in California.

In the aftermath of accusations with investigations against him ongoing, Dominic spent much of his time in Italy, where his family owns a 1,000-year-old castle, and traveling to other European locales with his fiancée.

Neumann said, however, that it is her client’s understanding that Dominic is moving back to Sonoma County.

In response to a question from The Press Democrat about potential plans to move back or any change in his role at Christopher Creek, Dominic wrote: “I’m getting married in August and have no set plans yet for after outside of starting a family. Windsor is and will always be my home.”

In late March, the California Attorney General’s Office, one of the agencies investigating Dominic, announced that it would not file charges against him. That closed the last publicly known ongoing criminal investigation.

Note: This story has been updated to reflect that three civil lawsuits against Dominic Foppoli name Christopher Creek Winery as a defendant as well.

You can reach “In Your Corner” Columnist Marisa Endicott at 707-521-5470 or marisa.endicott@pressdemocrat.com. On X (formerly Twitter) @InYourCornerTPD and Facebook @InYourCornerTPD.