A California winery, co-owned by Tim Mynett, the husband of Democratic Representative Ilhan Omar, has permanently closed amid growing scrutiny over the congresswoman’s family finances.
The winery ended its operations on April 4, just two months following a Republican inquiry into inconsistencies in Omar’s congressional financial disclosures for 2024 compared to the previous year, as per California business records.
In a letter dated February, House Oversight Committee Chair James Comer (R-Ky.) addressed Mynett, highlighting discrepancies in financial disclosures filed by Omar. The records showed that eStCru LLC and Rose Lake Capital LLC, in which Mynett holds stakes, had valuations rising from a maximum of $51,000 in 2023 to as much as $30 million in 2024.
Comer expressed concern over these inconsistencies, noting the significant increase in value of the Santa Rosa winery and venture capital firm within a year, despite previously reporting limited assets.
“Given that these companies do not publicly disclose their investors or funding sources, this sudden increase raises concerns that undisclosed individuals might be investing to gain influence with your wife,” Comer stated.
Recently, Omar claimed that her and Mynett’s net worth does not amount to tens of millions as suggested, stating they actually possess less than $100,000 combined, according to a Wall Street Journal report. Her office attributed the discrepancy to an error by their accountant.
Mynettâs business venture capital and boutique winery was started in the fall of 2021, after his prior consulting firm shut down.
The California winery has since followed the way of the capital group which is also now defunct.
It wasnât a traditional brick and mortar winery, but rather just a label that subcontracted producers throughout the West Coast to bottle wines for them. When reached by The Post in February a spokesperson said the winery is dead.
The congressional probe appears to be late to the party, calling into question the wineryâs business model. Many on social media have pointed out that theyâve been unable to access the winery’s website, which no longer exists, or buy anything for months.
âCannot find anywhere to buy their wines. This is weird, like itâs not a real winery,â one person wrote on its Facebook page.
Another added, âI want to try a bottle of their fine wine – but I donât know any distributors that sell it.â
A third person wrote, âNo phone number, address is a different business, canât order it because it doesnât exist. Scam.â
The wineryâs Instagram account was filled with beautiful photos of wine and people enjoying the tasty treat, along with more comments slamming the company as fake.
âWhere can I buy your wine? Oh thatâs right your winery is as fake as the supposed attack by your employee?” one person wrote.
The wineryâs short existence was marked by scandal â despite being named âhot brand of the yearâ in 2022. By early 2023, its winemakers said they had stopped getting paid, and the brand was no longer advertising on social media.
It was hit with several fraud allegations and lawsuits from investors, according to a 2024 report in the Minnesota Reformer. Former employees also told the newspaper that they hadnât been paid.
