Apple products are expensive, which makes them a lucrative target for thieves and robbers. We have previously covered how burglars cut through bathroom walls to steal over $500,000 worth of Apple products. Seemingly another story has emerged where a man in Nashua, New Hampshire, accepted a bribe of $700,000 to reroute $2 million worth of stolen Apple products. However, the man has pled guilty and will be charged accordingly.
$2 million worth of stolen Apple products redirected by a man over a hefty bribe
According to the United States District Attorney's Office in New Hampshire, Guangwei "William" Wu accepted a hefty bribe to redirect the stolen Apple products worth millions. The man is pleading guilty to the "interstate transportation of stolen property." The man was the owner and worker at a transshipping company named Hai Xing Qiao. The transshipping company was hired by the victim to ship $2 million worth of Apple products to Hong Kong.
However, it was presumed that the stolen Apple products would not reach their devised location. Another Hong Kong-based company called Yongfu Huo bribed Wu to redirect Apple products worth over $2 million to another location. Wu received a hefty $700,000 bribe for the redirection of Apple products. The list of stolen products includes the iPhone, iPad, Apple Watches, and MacBooks models.
However, the redirected Apple products never reached the location of Yongfu Huo as they were confiscated by law enforcement. This is where Wu forged the documents through his company and sent a false "Disclaimer of Ownership" document to the true owner of the stolen products. The document was issued by the United States Postal Inspection Service and also penned a fake signature of the relevant agent.
The man was fined $250,000 and restitution along with a sentence of less than 10 years in prison. Furthermore, the release would be supervised for three years. As for the victim, Wu would be in charge of repaying the victim the entire amount of the stolen shipment.
Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
Thieves and robbers have always seen Apple products as profit-gaining items due to their demand and value retention. The company is well aware of these threats, and it takes appropriate measures to avoid such instances. We have reported numerous cases where thousands of dollars worth of Apple products were stolen from the Apple Store as well.
About the author: Ali Salman is a technology reporter for Wccftech mobile section with a specialized focus on Apple and the intellectual property that drives mobile innovation. He has cultivated a unique expertise in analyzing and deconstructing complex technology patents, translating dense legal and technical documents into clear, insightful reports on future products.
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