Workers trick Apple into matching donations they never made, California officials say

Six Apple employees are accused of taking part in a scam to trick the company into matching bogus charity donations, California officials reported.

Over three years, the workers reported contributing to the American Chinese International Cultural Exchange and Hop4Kids, run by one of the employees, the Santa Clara District Attorney’s Office said in a Dec. 3 news release.

Apple matched the donations under its giving program, prosecutors said.

But the employee involved with the charities arranged to refund the donations to the other workers without telling Apple, keeping the matching funds, prosecutors said.

The supposed donors also falsely reported the refunded contributions on their taxes, prosecutors said.

The scheme cost Apple $152,000 between July 1, 2018, and April 6, 2021, prosecutors said. McC;atchy News reached out to Apple for comment and is awaiting a response.

The now-former Apple employees face charges including grand theft, conspiracy to commit felony grand theft, perjury and tax fraud, prosecutors said.

“It’s the holidays. Give – legally – to help the needy, not to help yourself,” District Attorney Jeff Rosen said in the release.

The District Attorney’s Office asks anyone with information to contact jdeoliveira@dao.sccgov.org.

This story was originally published December 5, 2024 at 10:10 AM with the headline "Workers trick Apple into matching donations they never made, California officials say."