A Sonoma County jury found Dominic Foppoli, the former mayor of Windsor, civilly liable Friday for sexually assaulting seven women, ordering him to pay a combined $13 million in compensatory damages.
Foppoli, a Democrat who led the town of Windsor from late 2018 to 2021, must pay individual awards ranging from $6,000 to $4,650,938, depending on the woman and her allegations, which span from 2001 to 2020.
He may also face punitive damages. That phase of the civil trial is set to begin Tuesday, according to KTVU FOX 2.
Foppoli has denied all wrongdoing and has not been criminally charged over the allegations. He resigned as mayor in May 2021 after four women told the San Francisco Chronicle he had sexually assaulted them.
Details of the Lawsuit
The lawsuit, filed in April 2022, laid out allegations from seven women identified as Jane Does. Several said Foppoli drugged their drinks before assaulting them. Jane Doe 1 alleged he raped her dozens of times, including one incident in which she said he handcuffed her to a bed.
The San Francisco Chronicle has reported that a total of 13 women have accused Foppoli of sexual assault or misconduct over the years.
In 2024, the California attorney general’s office suspended its criminal investigation into Foppoli, citing insufficient evidence to file charges on cases not barred by the statute of limitations at that time.
Foppoli testified during the trial, which began in July, and again denied the accusations. According to KGO Eyewitness News, he told the jury: “I’ve been a terrible boyfriend and partner, cheating, selfish and egotistical, but I’ve never done any of those things I’m being sued for.”
Club Also Found Liable
The jury also found the Santa Rosa chapter of Active 20-30, an all-male charitable social club Foppoli belonged to, liable for the alleged assault of Jane Doe 4, awarding her an additional $2 million, the Chronicle reported.
According to the lawsuit, that woman said Foppoli assaulted her during the national Active 20-30 convention in Reno, Nevada, in June 2012, and that the organization failed to investigate complaints she raised with its leaders.
Reaction
Traci Carrillo, an attorney representing the plaintiffs, called the verdict the “ultimate validation” for the women, saying they had to overcome “their trauma, their shame, their own guilt” to reach this point.
Foppoli’s attorney, Andrew Watters, said in a statement to Fox News Digital that he intends to seek a mistrial, arguing the court improperly excluded key defense witnesses. If unsuccessful, he said he will appeal.
“What happened with the verdict was that the jury sent a message based on questionable self-reported evidence and junk science, and that’s not appropriate. It appears the passions of the jury were inflamed by the evidence, and they hated my client, so they made a very large award to punish and make an example of him,” Watters said.
Foppoli, speaking outside the courthouse Friday, said his accusers “are trying to crucify me for a cause I’m not responsible for,” and suggested they were motivated by the $13 million award.
Other Legal Matters
Foppoli still faces a separate lawsuit from social media personality Farrah Abraham, who alleges he raped her in March 2021 at a house party in Florida. That case is expected to go to trial next year, according to court records.
Christopher Creek Winery, which Foppoli owns, previously settled a separate lawsuit brought by a Montana woman who alleged Foppoli raped her multiple times in 2020, when she was 18, the Chronicle reported.
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