French Laundry wine thief jailed

A California man has been jailed for his part in the theft of more than 100 wine bottles worth over US$500,000 from Napa Valley’s three Michelin-starred French Laundry restaurant.

Davis Kiryakoz, 44, of Modesto, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to transport stolen goods before a federal judge in San Jose in December, following the theft on Christmas Day in 2014.

Kiryakoz admitted that he knew the wines were stolen because he was involved in stealing them. Kiryakoz, along with another man, stole 110 bottles of wine worth half a million dollars – mostly Domaine de la Romanée-Conti and Screaming Eagle – from the restaurant, which had been closed for refurbishment.

Charges against a second defendant, Alfred Georgis of Mountain View, are still pending.

Kiryakoz admitted shipping 63 bottles of the wine, worth more than $200,000, to a buyer in North Carolina, prosecutors said, receiving several payments for the wines. Eventually, the buyer learned the wines had been stolen from the French Laundry and refused to make further payments. Most of the wine was recovered in January of last year.

Kiryakoz also admitted to stealing 142 bottles of wine, worth $290,000, from Fine Wines International in San Francisco in March 2013. Kiryakoz admitted that the value of the wines he actually shipped from this lot was approximately $127,755.

He also admitted to stealing 29 bottles, worth $32,000, from Alexander’s Steakhouse in Cupertino in November 2014, and making arrangements to ship 17 of the bottles, worth $25,550.

This week a California judge sentenced Kiryakoz to 15 months in prison and ordered him to pay nearly US$600,000 in restitution.

The French Laundry is presided over by chef Thomas Keller, and remains one of the most exclusive restaurants in America. It has held three Michelin stars since 2006, with “Oysters and Pearls”, made with Island Creek oysters and sterling white sturgeon caviar, and Alba white truffle risotto, among Keller’s signature dishes.