SAN FRANCISCO — A former Williams-Sonoma executive pleaded guilty Tuesday to federal fraud and money laundering charges, admitting that he collected more than $12.2 million in kickbacks and helped divert over $4.1 million in real estate broker commissions, officials announced.
Eric Marsiglia, 52, of Olive Branch, Mississippi, pleaded guilty to two wire fraud conspiracy charges and one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of California.
Marsiglia served as Williams-Sonoma’s vice president of engineering, projects, planning, facilities and real estate. He had the authority to award vendor contracts and was responsible for selecting and leasing warehouse space across the country.
His duties also included purchasing forklifts, steel storage racks and other warehouse equipment and services.
- Defendant: Eric Marsiglia, 52, of Olive Branch, Mississippi
- Former position: Williams-Sonoma vice president overseeing warehouses, facilities and real estate
- Charges: Three fraud and money laundering conspiracy counts
- Kickbacks admitted: More than $12.2 million
- Broker commissions diverted: More than $4.1 million
- Total admitted losses: More than $16.3 million
- Scheme operated: Approximately 2018 through 2022
- Shell company: REM Group
- Sentencing date: Nov. 3, 2026
- Judge: U.S. District Judge Richard G. Seeborg
- Court: U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California
- Investigating agency: IRS Criminal Investigation
Marsiglia is scheduled to be sentenced Nov. 3 by U.S. District Judge Richard G. Seeborg.
Each wire fraud conspiracy charge carries a maximum statutory sentence of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The money laundering conspiracy charge carries a maximum of 20 years and a $500,000 fine.
In his plea agreement, Marsiglia admitted that he conspired to defraud the San Francisco-based retailer from about 2018 through 2022.
Prosecutors said Marsiglia accepted kickbacks in exchange for steering Williams-Sonoma contracts to three New Jersey companies that supplied forklifts, warehouse racking systems and machinery.
To receive and conceal the payments, Marsiglia established a shell company called REM Group. More than $12.2 million in kickbacks was funneled through the company, according to his admissions.
Marsiglia also admitted participating in a second scheme involving real estate broker commissions connected to Williams-Sonoma warehouses.
From 2020 through 2022, he directed commission payments to bank accounts controlled by REM Group instead of the firm entitled to receive the money. Marsiglia then distributed portions of the proceeds to himself and his co-conspirators.
More than $4.1 million in broker commissions was misappropriated through that scheme, prosecutors said.
Marsiglia admitted that he concealed both schemes from Williams-Sonoma and participated in financial transactions intended to disguise the source, ownership and control of the fraud proceeds.
A federal grand jury initially indicted Marsiglia and three co-defendants on April 11, 2023.
The co-defendants were Kourosh Mirmehdi, Augusto Alizo and Michael Podhurst. Domenick Nardone was added to the case in a March 2024 superseding indictment.
All five defendants have pleaded guilty to federal offenses, according to prosecutors.