A former wine buyer for a Southern California grocery chain demanded alcohol suppliers bribe him with vacations, gift cards and other valuable items before he considered selling or continuing to sell their products at hundreds of stores across the region, according to federal prosecutors.
Patrick Briones of Newport Beach was charged with conspiracy and commercial bribery after prosecutors accused him of demanding and accepting bribes from alcohol suppliers that for years impacted his decision to buy new products, continue to purchase others and save others that the grocery chain intended to discontinue, according to charging documents filed Sept. 23.
The bribes, which included a $2,290 designer bag, a luxury watch worth thousands of dollars, trips to Maui and Las Vegas and thousands of dollars in prepaid gift cards and cash, were concealed through falsified invoices that concealed the nature of each expense, according to court documents. Prosecutors said one January 2019 trip a vendor arranged for Briones to go to Hawaii was paid for by a $20,000 invoice labeled “Education Seminar 2018.”
Briones has not yet entered a plea in the case.
Charging documents said Briones worked as an assistant sales manager for wines at a grocery chain headquartered in Idaho with more than 300 stores in Southern California.
While the claim didn’t identify Albertsons as Briones’ employer, his LinkedIn says that he’s worked for the grocery chain since March 2015. He previously worked for Safeway, which was acquired by Albertsons in 2015. According to his LinkedIn, Briones worked at Safeway since 2005 and was a category manager of wine in Pleasanton from March 2011 until February 2015.
As part of his job, Briones made purchasing decisions for wines sold at Albertsons’ Southern California locations and previously chose the wines sold at Safeway’s Northern California locations, according to the claim.
“We have been made aware of allegations against a former employee who abused his position for personal gain, and we are cooperating with the relevant authorities on the matter,” Albertsons said in a statement. “The behavior in question was wholly inconsistent with our policies, and we do not, and will not, tolerate it. We expect all associates to adhere and fully comply with all laws and regulations and all company policies.”
Bryan Barnes, a Hermosa Beach-based wine supplier named as one of the people who allegedly bribed Briones, pleaded guilty in May to commercial bribery.
Some of the individuals involved also planned golf trips for Briones and themselves, including a May 2021 trip to Pebble Beach and other excursions to resorts in Florida, Oregon and Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, among other destinations, according to court documents.
Some vendors also bribed Briones through prepaid gift cards worth as much as $10,000 in exchange for carrying, increasing purchases of or prominently displaying their wines at Albertsons’ locations. The prepaid gift cards were not taxed or reported to the Internal Revenue Service, according to court documents.
The alleged bribery scheme went on from about September 2017 until January 2024.
Originally Published: October 3, 2025 at 5:14 AM PDT
Dining and Cooking