A grand jury in Santa Clara, California, has indicted Apple Inc.'s security director and others for offering the company's products as bribes to secure concealed carry permits for staff.
Prosecutors allege Thomas Moyer promised 200 iPads priced at $70,000 to the Santa Clara County Sheriff's Office in exchange for four concealed weapon permits. Two Sheriff's officers were also charged, according to a statement from Santa Clara district attorney Jeff Rosen.
Moyer's lawyer Ed Swanson said Moyer worked at Apple for 14 years and was currently chief of international security. Swanson said Moyer was innocent of the charges. Apple said its own investigation found no wrongdoing.
The charges are part of an investigation dating back to 2019 into whether or not the Santa Clara County Sheriff's Office uses concealed carry permits to help solicit bribes and political donations.
There is a continuing corruption inquiry by the Santa Clara County district attorney's office into the Santa Clara County Sheriff's Office over accusations that donations to Sheriff Laurie Smith's 2018 reelection campaign were exchanged for concealed carry permits - a case which didn't involve Apple.
The Santa Clara district attorney also claims officials in the Santa Clara County Sheriff's Office, including Undersheriff Rick Sung and Capt. James Jensen, were involved in a scheme to solicit bribes to secure a fast approval of the weapons' permits.
Insurance broker Harpreet Chadha was included in the indictment for offering bribes in exchange for the permits. Sung extracted from Chadha a "promise of $6,000 worth of luxury box-seat tickets to a San Jose Sharks hockey game," Apple Insider reported.
In California, carrying a concealed weapon without a permit is illegal. Applicants for permits must show "good cause" and moral character. Local sheriffs have broad judgment in deciding who gets the permits.
