According to U.S. authorities, a former Apple Inc employee has been charged with scamming the iPhone manufacturer out of more than $10 million in a string of scams.
According to documents with the federal court in San Jose, California, Dhirendra Prasad faces five felony charges for defrauding Apple by exploiting his trusted position as a buyer in Apple’s worldwide supply chain network.
Prosecutors claimed Prasad engaged with vendors and made orders as an Apple buyer, with Apple paying him based on invoice values he entered into the company’s buying system.
Prasad worked for Apple for a decade
Prasad is accused of defrauding Apple by accepting bribes, stealing components under fraudulent repair orders, and making Apple pay for things and services it never got.
According to prosecutors, Prasad allegedly dodged taxes and laundered earnings from his scams. According to court documents, Apple sacked him in December 2018 after ten years of service. He worked there between December 2008 and December 2018 and was a buyer in Apple’s Cupertino-based Global Service Supply Chain.
It’s unknown whether Prasad has retained legal counsel. On Sunday, Prasad was not immediately available for comment. His phone number is no longer going through.
The scammer will have to relinquish the fraudulently acquired gains
According to court documents, two owners of Apple vendors who reportedly colluded with Prasad on analogous fraudulent transactions entered a guilty plea to related counts in December.
Prasad is accused of conspiring to conduct wire and mail fraud, money laundering, defrauding the U.S. government, and tax evasion.
The date of his arraignment has been set for March 24. Prosecutors would also like Prasad to give up his real estate and other assets worth millions.
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