Six former Apple Inc (NASDAQ: AAPL) employees have been charged with defrauding the tech giant of approximately $152,000 through its charitable donation matching program, the Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Office announced.
The defendants, led by Siu Kei (Alex) Kwan, allegedly orchestrated a scheme between 2018 and 2021 that exploited Apple’s employee gift-matching program while simultaneously defrauding California tax authorities with false charitable deductions totaling around $100,000.
Kwan, who served as CEO of Hop4Kids and as accountant for the American Chinese International Cultural Exchange (ACICE), allegedly arranged for employees to make donations through Benevity, a third-party platform, which Apple would match at up to 200%. The charities would then return the original donations to the employees while Kwan kept Apple’s matching funds.
The defendants face multiple felony charges including grand theft, conspiracy, perjury, and tax fraud, with additional aggravated white-collar crime enhancements due to the substantial sums involved.
“This case underscores our unwavering commitment to rigorously prosecuting individuals who defraud the tech community and misuse vital charitable programs,” District Attorney Jeff Rosen said.
Those charged include Kwan, 37, of Castro Valley; Yathei Yuen, 34, of San Jose; Yat C Ng, 35, of Milpitas; Wentao Li, 38, of Hayward; Lichao Ni, 39, of Sunnyvale; and Zheng Chang, 31, of Union City.
Kwan, a certified public accountant, allegedly encouraged participation by offering free or discounted tax services. Arrest warrants have been issued for all defendants.
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