Mayoral Candidate Mike Vogiatzakis Rejects Allegations Of Sexual Assault From Former Employee

A Winnipeg woman has publicly accused mayoral candidate and Voyage Funeral Home owner Mike Vogiatzakis of sexual assault, harassment, intimidation, and abusive workplace conduct in a detailed Facebook post that surfaced this week, allegations Vogiatzakis strongly denies and describes as false and unsubstantiated.

The allegations were made by Brittany Nicole Bortolussi, who stated she worked under Vogiatzakis for approximately four months at Voyage Funeral Home. In her public statement, Bortolussi alleged she experienced repeated unwanted physical and sexual conduct while employed there, including claims that she was slapped, pinned against walls, touched inappropriately, and subjected to repeated sexual comments and invasive questions.

Bortolussi further alleged that a final incident occurred during a funeral service in which she claims Vogiatzakis attempted to physically restrain her by placing his hands around her neck. She alleged another employee witnessed the interaction and said she resigned shortly afterward because she feared for her safety.

In the same statement, Bortolussi claimed she reported the matter to police and to the Funeral Board. She stated no action ultimately resulted, alleging she did not have access to internal evidence or surveillance footage that she believed may have supported her claims.

The Facebook post also included allegations unrelated to the sexual assault claims, including accusations involving workplace intimidation, alleged gang associations, concerns regarding cameras inside an embalming room, and an incident involving the handling of a deceased individual during funeral arrangements. None of those allegations have been independently verified.

Vogiatzakis has denied the allegations and stated they are false.

In a response posted publicly online, Vogiatzakis said the claims are “unfounded allegations” and characterized the accusations as politically and personally motivated. He further stated no court has found him guilty of any criminal wrongdoing related to the allegations being circulated online.

As of publication, Winnipeg Police Service has not publicly announced any criminal charges against Vogiatzakis connected to the allegations raised in the Facebook post. The Manitoba government’s funeral regulatory authorities have also not publicly released any findings related to the claims.

The allegations emerge during an increasingly tense political climate ahead of Winnipeg’s municipal election scheduled for October 28, when voters will head to the polls to select the city’s next mayor.

The controversy also follows recent developments involving current Winnipeg city councillor Russ Wyatt, who was again charged with sexual assault earlier this year. Wyatt has publicly denied those allegations and has stated the claims against him remain unproven in court.

Legal experts routinely caution that allegations shared publicly online remain allegations unless tested and proven in court. Canadian defamation laws place significant emphasis on careful reporting, particularly in cases involving accusations of criminal conduct where no conviction has occurred.

At this time, the allegations involving Vogiatzakis remain unproven in court, and no judicial findings have been made regarding the claims outlined in the Facebook post.