After refusing to quit for more than a month, the mayor of a California wine country town who has been accused of sexual assault by nine women has resigned from the job.
In a statement addressed to residents of the town of Windsor, Dominic Foppoli continued to deny the women’s claims and suggested that a new allegation made against him by a former reality TV star was driven by the San Francisco Chronicle’s reporting on him.
“I have no doubt she is making these allegations in an attempt to leverage the situation to her advantage,” the statement said.
Police in Palm Beach, Florida, are investigating claims that Foppoli sexually assaulted Farrah Abraham, 29, in March when he was visiting the area. The Chronicle said Abraham contacted police six days before it published its investigation detailing some of the other women’s accusations, which include forced oral copulation and rape.
Abraham starred in the MTV reality shows “16 and Pregnant” and “Teen Mom” more than a decade ago. Her attorney said she turned over evidence to police to support her account.
“This is not a ‘he said, she said’ situation. She has physical proof,” Spencer Kuvin said. “We believe it is in felony territory.”
A call seeking comment from Foppoli’s attorney has not been returned.
The Sonoma County Sheriff’s office is investigating the sexual allegations made against Foppoli and has not submitted its findings to the California Attorney General’s Office, which will determine whether to file criminal charges, said Sgt. Juan Valencia, a spokesman for the department.