Winery Co-Owned by Ilhan Omar’s Husband Shut Down Amid Fraud Claims, Says James Comer

A winery co-owned by Tim Mynett, husband of Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., was shut down in April amid fraud allegations, House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer, R-Ky., revealed. The closure comes after investigations found the winery had been selling empty barrels to investors under the pretense of “wine to be aged.”

Fraud Allegations and Financial Discrepancies

Chairman Comer disclosed over the weekend that the winery, eStCru, had been involved in fraudulent activity. According to Comer, the business was selling empty barrels to investors, misleading them about the nature of the investment. The winery was the primary asset listed on Omar’s financial disclosure form with a valuation of $25 million, a figure that now faces serious scrutiny. Comer stated, “not only was there a huge discrepancy in the financial disclosure form, there was the winery that was the big base of her $25 million listing on her financial disclosure form. That winery has, according to the press, been shut down because of fraud.”

Investigation Timeline and Congressional Scrutiny

The winery was founded in 2020 in California by Mynett and a business partner and was once recognized by Wine Business as one of its “Hot Brands of 2022.” However, the business closed in April of this year amid increasing congressional scrutiny. Comer’s focus on the winery intensified in February when he sent Mynett a letter highlighting a steep increase in Omar’s reported stake in the company. Omar’s 2023 financial disclosure listed a stake valued between $15,001 and $50,000, which jumped the following year to a range between $1,000,001 and $5,000,000. Comer’s letter expressed concerns about “how your businesses increased so dramatically in value only a year after reporting very limited assets.”

Federal Probe and Related Investigations

The winery’s closure is among several issues resurfacing amid a federal investigation into Omar’s U.S. citizenship. Earlier this month, federal agents executed a search warrant at Omar’s Washington, D.C., home related to allegations she and her father misrepresented her age to obtain citizenship. Critics, including House Majority Whip Tom Emmer, R-Minn., have called for her deportation if the allegations prove true. Omar and her allies deny wrongdoing, describing the probe as a partisan attack against one of President Donald Trump’s vocal opponents.

Committee Actions and Current Status

The House Oversight Committee, led by Comer, referred the financial aspects of Omar’s case to the House Ethics Committee months ago, urging it to review the allegations. A spokesperson for the Oversight Committee told Fox News Digital, “Regarding the investigation into her spouse, the House Oversight Committee referred the matter months ago to the House Ethics Committee and encouraged it to do its job and review the concerning allegations.” The bipartisan Ethics Committee has yet to take formal action on Omar’s case.

Omar has previously faced accusations of financial impropriety, with her rapid increase in net worth raising questions. She told The Wall Street Journal in mid-April that she and Mynett have less than $100,000 combined, contradicting earlier disclosures.

The ongoing investigations and the winery’s closure highlight the growing scrutiny surrounding Rep. Ilhan Omar and her husband’s financial dealings amid broader legal probes.