Apple’s head of global security was indicted by a grand jury on Monday after allegedly bribing law enforcement with iPads in exchange for obtaining concealed carry permits for employees at the tech giant’s Cupertino headquarters.
Apple’s chief security officer, Thomas Moyer, reportedly pledged to donate 200 iPads, worth approximately $70,000, to the Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Office if officials processed four permits for Apple workers, according to a press release from Santa Clara District Attorney Jeff Rosen.
The donation was never fulfilled because the the district attorney’s office issued search warrants seizing the department’s records on concealed weapons licenses in August 2019.
In a statement to CNBC, Moyer’s lawyer Ed Swanson said his client is innocent of the charges.
“He did nothing wrong and has acted with the highest integrity throughout his career. We have no doubt he will be acquitted at trial,” Swanson said.
An Apple spokesperson told the outlet that employees are expected to “conduct themselves with integrity.”
“After learning of the allegations, we conducted a thorough internal investigation and found no wrongdoing,” the company’s representative said.
Santa Clara Undersheriff Rick Sung and Capt. James Jensen were accused of holding up licenses and refusing to release them until applicants gave something of value.
Rosen said in a statement that Sung and Jensen treated the concealed carry licenses as “commodities and found willing buyers.”
“Bribe seekers should be reported to the District Attorney’s Office, not rewarded with compliance,” Rosen said in a statement.
Sung was also accused of extracting the promise of $6,000 worth of luxury box seat tickets to a San Jose Sharks hockey game from an insurance broker, who was also charged on Monday, according to the statement.
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