Ben Thomas III, a 48-year-old Georgia man, allegedly created the fake Empire Logistics Services to defraud Williams-Sonoma of over $10 million by billing for services never rendered.
Thomas allegedly used the ill-gotten gains to fund a lavish lifestyle, including the purchase of a yacht, luxury cars, sporting event tickets, pet cloning, and a large home.
During his tenure from 2016 to 2023 at Williams-Sonoma, he exploited his authority to approve payments under $50,000, thereby evading scrutiny on the fraudulent invoices.
For six years, Williams-Sonoma made 335 payments to Empire, which were channeled into Thomas's bank account, indicating a systematic and extensive scheme of deceit.
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