Former Windsor Mayor Dominic Foppoli has been found civilly liable for sexually assaulting seven women. A Sonoma County jury ordered him to pay a combined $13 million in compensatory damages.
Per Fox, the seven women were identified in court as Jane Does, and their individual awards ranged from $6,000 to more than $4.65 million. Foppoli has denied the allegations throughout the case and has never been criminally charged over them.
The jury’s decision does not necessarily end the financial consequences for the former mayor. A separate phase of the civil trial is set to determine potential punitive damages, which could add to the $13 million already awarded.
The verdict could still get even more expensive
The case involved allegations from multiple women who came forward and accused Foppoli of sexual assault, with several alleging that he drugged their drinks before the alleged attacks. One of the women, identified as Jane Doe 1, claimed Foppoli raped her dozens of times and alleged that he handcuffed her to a bed during one incident. The lawsuit was filed on behalf of the seven women, though Fox reported that a total of 13 women have accused Foppoli of sexual assault or misconduct.
The allegations eventually led to a civil lawsuit after multiple women came forward publicly. Foppoli took the stand during the trial and continued to reject the accusations. He tells the court that he had been a “terrible boyfriend and partner” but had never committed the acts described in the lawsuit.
In a report by CBS, his attorney, Andrew Watters, said the defense was “extremely disappointed” by the verdict and argued that the trial was affected by legal errors. Watters claimed several defense witnesses were excluded while plaintiffs were allowed to present their witnesses and evidence. He said the legal team planned to pursue an appeal.
Watters also criticized the jury’s decision, saying it was based on what he described as “questionable self-reported evidence and junk science.” He argued that the jury’s emotions had been influenced by the evidence and resulted in what he called a very large award designed to punish Foppoli.
The jury also found the Santa Rosa chapter of Active 20-30 liable for the alleged assault of one of the women. That organization was ordered to pay her an additional $2 million.
For Foppoli, the verdict represents a major civil judgment, but it does not amount to a criminal conviction. He remains free to challenge the result through the legal process, while the court considers the additional punitive damages.
Published: Sep 13, 2026 01:45 pm