Apple fires 185 employees, including several Indians, for salary fraud by Charity clause

Apple has terminated 185 employees for exploiting a grants program to increase their compensation, with reports indicating that many of those involved are of Indian origin.

Edited By: Shantanu Poswal

Last Updated : 07 January 2025, 09:51 PM IST

APPLE

In a shocking revelation, Apple has terminated 185 employees at its Cupertino headquarters following allegations of fraudulent misuse of its Matching Grants program. This corporate social responsibility initiative was intended to match employees’ charitable donations to nonprofit organizations. However, certain employees reportedly exploited the system for financial gain.

Fraudulent scheme unveiled

The alleged scheme involved employees making false donations to nonprofits that collaborated with them. These organizations reportedly returned the original contributions to the employees, allowing them to pocket Apple’s matching funds. The fraudulent practice not only breached corporate policies but also violated U.S. tax laws, as the false claims amounted to tax fraud.

Among the accused are six individuals identified by the Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Office. These individuals allegedly defrauded Apple of $152,000 over three years by pretending to donate to nonprofits like the American Chinese International Cultural Exchange (ACICE) and Hop4Kids.

Six charged in bay area

The six individuals charged include:

Siu Kei (Alex) Kwan, 37, of Castro Valley
Yathei (Hayson) Yuen, 34, of San Jose
Yat C (Sunny) Ng, 35, of Milpitas
Wentao (Victor) Li, 38, of Hayward
Lichao Ni, 39, of Sunnyvale
Zheng Chang, 31, of Union City

Kwan, described as the ringleader, allegedly served as both the CEO of Hop4Kids and the accountant for ACICE. He reportedly retained Apple’s matching funds while fabricating tax deductions for the involved employees.

Involvement of Indian employees

A separate report by Great Andhra claims that many of the terminated employees were of Indian origin. These employees allegedly collaborated with nonprofits linked to Telugu organizations in the U.S., following a similar fraudulent pattern.

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Apple fires 185 employees, including several Indians, for salary fraud by Charity clause