What just happened? Apple's head of global security has been charged with bribery after allegedly offering to donate 200 iPads to the Santa Clara County Sheriff's Office in return for four concealed weapon permits for Apple employees.
The LA Times writes that Apple Chief Security Officer Thomas Moyer, Santa Clara County Undersheriff Rick Sung, Capt. James Jensen of the sheriff's department and insurance broker Harpreet Chadha were indicted by a grand jury last week following a two-year investigation into the alleged scheme.
The District Attorney's Office states that Moyer allegedly agreed to donate 200 iPads worth $70,000 to the Sheriff's Office in exchange for four conceal carry weapon (CCW) permits that had been withheld from Apple employees.
The deal was allegedly scuttled in 2019 when Moyer and others involved in the scheme learned the DA had issued a warrant with the Sheriff's Office to seize its CCW license records.
"Undersheriff Sung and Captain Jensen treated CCW licenses as commodities and found willing buyers," Santa Clara County Dist. Atty. Jeff Rosen said in a statement. "Bribe seekers should be reported to the District Attorney's Office, not rewarded with compliance."
Moyer's attorney, Ed Swanson, says his client is innocent, calling his charge "collateral damage" in a rivalry between the district attorney and Smith, the sheriff. He added that Apple regularly donates devices, and the iPads offered in this instance were not related to the licenses Moyer was seeking on behalf of other Apple workers.
The CCW permits were required so Apple security staff could protect executives and employees following shootings at other Silicon Valley firms, such as the one at YouTube's HQ in 2018 in which three workers were wounded before the shooter turned the gun on herself.
The Cupertino giant said it had conducted its own investigation into the matter and found no wrongdoing.
Image credit: Chayantorn Tongmorn