Former Williams-Sonoma Executive Pleads Guilty to Money Laundering in $16 Million Fraud Schemes

A former Williams-Sonoma executive has pleaded guilty to fraud and money laundering conspiracies arising from kickback and commission-diversion schemes that caused more than $16 million in losses, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of California.

Eric Marsiglia, 52, pleaded guilty on August 11, 2026, to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and honest services wire fraud, and one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering.

Kickbacks routed through a shell company

Prosecutors said Marsiglia served as Williams-Sonoma’s Vice President of Engineering, Projects, Planning, Facilities, and Real Estate and had authority over vendor contracts and warehouse-related procurement.

In his plea agreement, Marsiglia admitted accepting kickbacks from co-conspirators between 2018 and 2022 in exchange for steering business to three New Jersey companies supplying forklifts, racking systems and other warehouse equipment. He established a shell company, REM Group, to receive and conceal the payments. The warehouse kickbacks exceeded $12.2 million.

Marsiglia also admitted participating in a separate scheme that diverted more than $4.1 million in real estate broker commissions connected with Williams-Sonoma warehouse transactions. Payments were directed to accounts controlled by REM Group and portions were distributed to Marsiglia and other participants.

Money laundering conspiracy

The U.S. Attorney’s Office said Marsiglia admitted conspiring to launder proceeds from the wire fraud scheme through financial transactions designed to conceal the nature, source, ownership and control of the funds.

Marsiglia was originally indicted in April 2023 with three other defendants. A fifth defendant was later charged in 2024. According to prosecutors, all defendants charged in the case have now pleaded guilty to federal offenses. The investigation was conducted by IRS Criminal Investigation.

Marsiglia is scheduled to be sentenced on November 3, 2026. The money laundering conspiracy charge carries a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison and a $500,000 fine, although the final sentence will be determined by the court.

The case illustrates how procurement, logistics and real-estate transactions within legitimate businesses can be used to conceal kickbacks and move fraud proceeds through apparently ordinary commercial structures.