A jury got a peek yesterday into the not-so-glittery world behind the jewelry counters at Saks Fifth Avenue.
Security was so lax among the diamonds and rubies at the chain’s Manhattan flagship store that its No. 1 jewelry saleswoman, Cecille Villacorta, was able to funnel $1 million in bogus refunds to her favorite customers, looting the company for six years, prosecutors said in opening statements.
Villacorta, a 52-year-old Upper East Sider, is claiming that Saks condoned these “gifts” because the company mantra is “keep the customer happy.”
“Saks knew every single thing she did. They knew,” her lawyer, Joseph Tacopina, told jurors in Manhattan Supreme Court. Villacorta sold a whopping $27 million in jewelry during her tenure at Saks, and her salary swelled to $400,000 with commissions, bonuses and raises, Tacopina said.
“They made $27 million off her back, now they want to ditch her,” Tacopina said.