Big Storm Brewery lawsuit settled

TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — A local physician has settled his lawsuit against St. Petersburg-based Big Storm Brewery.

The doctor was an investor who accused the company of having ties to a troubled local non-profit, but with the lawsuit is settled, some local families were left with more questions than answers.

Dr. David Wenk reached a confidential settlement with the owners of Big Storm Brewing, but that deal doesn’t mean much to the victims of the Center for Special Needs Trust Administration. They still want to know: where did their money go? .

It began with an investment in what seemed like an up-and-coming local brewery. According to a lawsuit file in June, Wenk invested $3 million with Big Storm Brewery back in 2021.

Wenk alleged that Big Storm owner LJ Govoni and his father Leo Govoni engaged in theft, embezzlement and laundered millions of dollars from St. Petersburg’s Center for Special Needs Trust Administration.

The elder Govoni was accused of siphoning off over $100 million from the center and facing his own legal trouble from Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody.

“There are those throughout this state that want to make sure that we are protecting the most vulnerable and that those that would take advantage of them need to be held accountable,” Moody said.

The missing money was meant to help people with disabilities, people like Sarah Hall.

“This is the most the most disabled you can be; there isn’t a degree beyond this,” said Theresa Schlosser, Sarah’s mom.

Wenk sued LJ, Big Storm, and its parent company Seaboard Craft Beer Holdings for the return of his $3 million investment.

At that time, LJ Govoni responded to the lawsuit, saying in part: “these accusations are not only unfounded but also defamatory, and I am committed to fighting them vigorously.”

Three months later, Wenk agreed to throw out his claims of embezzlement and dismissed the case with prejudice, meaning he cannot re-file a lawsuit.

Wenk’s attorney, shared this statement with 8 On Your Side: “Dr. Wenk and his wife are happy to have resolved this at the court-ordered mediation and to now put this matter behind them. They continue to pray for all the families affected by the ongoing litigation involving the Center for Special Needs Trusts.”

While Wenk’s lawsuit is now settled, people like the Schlossers are still wondering where their money could have gone.

“These people based their dollar on my daughter’s ability to keep on fighting,” Schlosser said.

Big Storm has hit some stormy financial water of their own in recent months.  Court records show in March, the brewery was facing eviction from its Odessa location in Pasco County. Big Storm’s landlord alleged the company owed more than $40,000 in rent. Records show that Big Storm Ybor City location was also evicted for not paying rent.

8 On Your Side reached out to Big Storm to get their response regarding the settlement, but so far, we haven’t heard back.

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