Paso Robles winery owner’s cross complaint, sexual harassment claim dismissed

August 19, 2025

By KAREN VELIE

Two former employees of Halter Ranch Winery in Paso Robles filed lawsuits that accuse the owner of sexual harassment, misconduct and unjust firings. Swiss billionaire Hansjörg Wyss hit back with a cross complaint telling his side of the story. After months of mudslinging, both lawsuits and the cross complaint were dismissed last week at the request of the parties.

On April 21, 30-year-old Madison Busby filed a lawsuit against the 89-year-old Wyss that accuses her former employer of various instances of inappropriate behavior and misconduct.

In her lawsuit, Busby says Wyss made sexual comments and groped her during their first meeting in 2019. Despite the alleged ongoing sexual harassment, in 2020, Busby moved in with her then-boyfriend Bryce Mullins at a home on Halter Ranch where they lived rent free.

In Jan. 2021, Wyss hired Busby, an architect, to work for Halter Ranch. Busby reported directly to her then boyfriend, now husband, Mullins.

In Dec.  2023, Busby and Mullins were legally married with Wyss standing in as best man at Mullins’ request.

Wyss would frequently visit and would stay in the home with Busby and Mullins.

During these stays, he allegedly began pursuing threesomes with the couple, according to Busby’s lawsuit. Busby sent an email to Wyss in July 2024 that allegedly recounted various instances of inappropriate behavior and misconduct.

She resigned and left employment on July 31, 2024. Wyss fired Mullins in Aug. 2024, according to Mullins’ lawsuit.

Both Busby and Mullins accused Wyss of inappropriate sexual conduct against Busby, starting as early as 2019, and continuing into 2024, when Busby and Mullins left Halter Ranch.

Mullins also filed a lawsuit against Wyss in April. Mullins’ lawsuit accuses Wyss of failing to pay him up to $30 million in equity interest in Halter Ranch, which he managed for six years.

Both Busby and Mullins claimed wrongful termination in their lawsuits even though they both resigned their positions.

In May 2024, Mullins informed Wyss he was going to resign on Sept. 30, 2024.

Neither Busby nor Mullins complained about sexual harassment during Busby’s entire period of employment or at any time prior to her employment, until the day she left, according to Wyss’ counter claim.

“For almost five years, starting in 2019, Ms. Busby and Mr. Mullins voluntarily made themselves part of the Halter Winery community and took advantage of its owner’s generosity,” according to Wyss’ counterclaim. “Through all these years, they never complained about Mr. Wyss’ conduct, or simply declined to spend so much time with him, until after they voluntarily left their employment at the winery in 2024.”

On Aug. 8, the two lawsuits and the counterclaim were dismissed with prejudice.

The 89-year-old Swiss billionaire, who reportedly has a net worth of more than $4.8 billion, made his fortune in the medical manufacturing industry. Since leaving the medical industry, he has become one of the most important donors to left-leaning media and advocacy groups, and he is an increasingly influential force among Democrats.

In 2021, Wyss mounted a failed bid to purchase Tribune Publishing Company, the publisher of the Chicago Tribune, New York Daily News and other American newspapers. Two years later, he funded a nonprofit’s purchase of five daily newspapers in Maine.

At the same time, States Newsroom, a nonprofit that received funds from the Wyss Foundation, launched the Maine Morning Star, an online news source.

Over the past 20 years, Wyss has donated more than $800 million to left-leaning causes, according to the Daily Caller.

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