NEWARK, N.J. – A brazen scheme to fleece Williams-Sonoma and a major transportation company out of over $4.6 million has landed a Middlesex County man in federal court. Jose Pena, 46, of Monroe Township, New Jersey, is accused of masterminding a conspiracy built on fabricated deliveries and a torrent of illegal kickbacks, according to federal prosecutors.
Pena, who owned and operated a trucking firm, allegedly colluded with insiders at both Williams-Sonoma, Inc. and “Company-1” – a national logistics firm – to submit invoices for services never rendered. From June 2018 to September 2020, the operation netted over $3.6 million in fraudulent charges. The payoff? Lavish bribes to co-conspirators, including cold, hard cash, checks, a shiny new SUV, and even a Rolex watch, prosecutors say.
But Pena didn’t stop there. After an internal audit at Williams-Sonoma exposed the initial fraud, forcing the company to sever ties with his firm, Pena attempted to continue the scam. He concealed his ownership of another trucking company and, starting in September 2021, resumed overbilling Williams-Sonoma through June 2024, adding another nearly $1 million to the total losses. The scheme proved remarkably persistent, despite the initial exposure.
Federal investigators aren’t just coming after Pena. Two of his alleged accomplices have already confessed. Raymond DeLeon, 38, of Ridgefield Park, New Jersey, formerly an operations general manager for Company-1, pleaded guilty on January 3, 2025, to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. DeLeon allegedly pocketed over $200,000 in kickbacks. Cintia Elaxcar, 40, of Perth Amboy, New Jersey, a former billing and dispatch manager for Company-1, also pleaded guilty on January 15, 2025, admitting to receiving over $435,000 in illicit payments.
Pena is charged with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, a charge that carries a potential sentence of up to twenty years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000 – or twice the amount of the fraudulent gain. DeLeon and Elaxcar face the same penalties upon sentencing. The U.S. Secret Service, under Special Agent in Charge Aaron Hatley, led the investigation, with Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph Stern handling the prosecution.
As with all criminal charges, Pena is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. His attorney is Michael Critchley, Esq. Raymond DeLeon is represented by Nicholas Moschella, Esq., and Cintia Elaxcar by Maria Noto, Esq. The feds aren’t saying much more at this stage, but this looks like a long haul for everyone involved.
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Key Facts
- Agency: U.S. Secret Service
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: Official Press Release
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