Alongside federal investigations, the winery owned by Rep. Ilhan Omar’s husband could potentially strain relations with their imam.
Tim Mynett, a political consultant, converted to Islam for his marriage to Omar, who is Muslim. However, the production and sale of alcohol are deemed forbidden in Islam, classified as “haram,” or sinful.
A representative from Omar’s office confirmed that their marriage was conducted in accordance with Islamic principles and legal statutes, and that Mynett has indeed converted, as stated during their wedding in 2020.
Mynett’s wine venture, eStCru, along with other less-than-reliable business activities, reportedly increased the couple’s wealth to around $30 million, leading to probes by both the House Oversight Committee and the Department of Justice.
In a financial disclosure from May 2025 for the previous fiscal year, Omar reported that the winery’s value was between $1 million and $5 million.
However, the business had been defunct for more than a year by that time, raising eyebrows about the inflated valuation.
“While we may not be experts in religious law, it’s clear that defrauding people is against the values of all faiths,” questioned Republican National Committee spokeswoman Kirsten Pels.
eStCru wasn’t a traditional winery, more of a label that outsourced the bottling process to various producers across the West Coast.
The brief life of the business saw a few wines offered from 2020 to 2023, including a Malbec humorously dubbed “The Devil’s Lies,” and others described by consumers as less than impressive.
eStCru was part of a broader “collective” that sold wine from a storage facility in Santa Rosa, where the owner revealed that Mynett’s label was just one of over 20 operated from that location.
Even though eStCru was designated as a “Brand to Watch of the Year” in 2022, it was riddled with issues; by early 2023, its winemakers had ceased paying commissions and the brand had reduced its visibility on social media.
By fall, Mynett and his business associate Will Haler, who are both involved in Democratic politics, faced a lawsuit from an investor who claimed he was misled into investing $300,000 into their 2021 company.
They allegedly settled the matter outside of court. By early 2024, eStCru reportedly had just $650 remaining, and the website vanished in November that year.
It’s puzzling why Omar would appraise the business so high after its decline. In her financial disclosure, covering the period prior to the winery’s existence in 2023, its reflection was only between $15,000 and $50,000, a significant drop.
When reached for comments, a spokesperson acknowledged that the winery is no longer operational.
“While some reports may suggest that eStCru operated as a physical winery, it was actually a direct-to-consumer business that has since ceased its operations, and Mr. Mynett did not report its income in his 2025 statement,” they clarified.
These emerging details come as Omar faces scrutiny regarding her involvement in a substantial $9 billion fraud scandal linked to the Somali community in Minnesota.
When it comes to adhering to religious beliefs, this isn’t the first time the couple has sparked controversy.
Mynett’s ex-wife, Beth, who is the medical director for the D.C. Department of Corrections, suspected the pair of having an affair back in early 2018. Omar and Mynett have both denied the allegations, though.
In 2019, a picture surfaced of Mynett bringing multiple packs of beer to Omar’s residence, a sight that certainly wouldn’t sit well with Islamic law.
The consequences of adultery under Islamic law can be severe.
“She is a role model for us; she’s the most prominent Somali-American, yet she tends to cause embarrassment,” expressed one community leader regarding suspicions of her personal life. “Honestly, I’m baffled.”
