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Arrest warrants have been issued for six former Apple employees who are facing fraud charges after scamming the tech giant through charitable donations.
From 2018 to, 2021, the (then) Apple employees tricked the company into matching donations to a charity which then returned the money, netting the culprits around $152,000 or $25,000 each.
Those involved have been identified, all of which are of Asian descent. Siu Kei Kwan, 37, Yathei Yuen, 34, Yat C Ng, 35, Wentao Li, 38, Lichao Ni, 39, and Zheng Chang, 31.
According to the Santa Clara County District Attorney's Office, Siu Kei Kwan was the ringleader. If convicted, the six former employees could face time in jail, be forced to pay back the stolen money, and be levied fines and fees.
The defendants also defrauded the state of California when they wrote off their "charitable donations" on their tax returns, the DA's Office said.
Here's how the scheme worked. Apple has a Matching Gift Program, so if an employee donates to a charity, Apple matches the donation to the same charity.
The employees involved in this scheme were donating funds to two different charities, American Chinese International Cultural Exchange (ACICE) and Hop4Kids. Kwan (the ring leader), being the CEO of Hop4Kids and the accountant for ACICE kept Apple's donations and returned the other employees' contributions.
Hop4Kids' Facebook page has been inactive since 2023.
In a statement, District Attorney Jeff Rosen said, "This case underscores our unwavering commitment to rigorously prosecuting individuals who defraud the tech community and misuse vital charitable programs and state resources,"
It is still unknown whether any of the six former employees have been apprehended.
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