A former executive at the high-end kitchenware retailer Williams-Sonoma, Inc. (WSI) admitted to participating in a multimillion-dollar scheme involving warehouses and real estate.
On August 11, 2026, Eric Marsiglia, a 52-year-old resident of Mississippi, pleaded guilty to several federal charges, including one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and fraud in the performance of honest services, and one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering.
Marsiglia previously served as vice president of Engineering, Projects, Planning, Facilities, and Real Estate, and oversaw the selection and leasing of warehouse space across the United States, as well as the purchase of steel shelving, forklifts, and related warehouse logistics services, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of California.
Authorities stated that, beginning in 2018, Marsiglia accepted $12.2 million in illegal kickbacks related to the warehouses in exchange for directing WSI’s business toward three New Jersey companies that supplied forklifts, racking systems, and warehouse machinery.
Marsiglia used a shell company called REM Group to conceal the illegal kickback scheme, according to authorities.
In addition, between 2020 and 2022, Marsiglia admitted to embezzling $4.1 million in real estate brokerage commissions related to WSI’s warehouses. Marsiglia diverted commission payments from the companies that were supposed to receive them through the shell company REM Group and then distributed the money to accounts owned by himself and other accomplices.
Marsiglia also admitted to conducting financial transactions to conceal and “launder the proceeds of wire fraud.”
Marsiglia was indicted along with his accomplices Kourosh Mirmehdi, Augusto Alizo, and Michael Podhurst on April 11, 2023. Another accomplice, Domenick Nardone, was also indicted in March 2024.
All defendants have pleaded guilty to the federal charges.
Marsiglia is scheduled for sentencing on November 3, 2026. He faces up to 20 years in prison and a fine of $250,000 for each count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, and up to 20 years in prison and a $500,000 fine for conspiracy to commit money laundering.
