A former university employee is now facing charges after authorities say he deliberately used his position to steal and resell Apple products. Tung Pham, 59, from San Jose, was charged with conspiracy to transport stolen property interstate, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.
Pham, who was employed as a facilities and purchasing coordinator for the library at a San Jose-based public university, was supposed to use his university procurement card to acquire items necessary for the institution's operations. According to court documents, he instead opted to, among other things, purchase and then steal Apple MacBooks and iPads. These items he would subsequently sell to a contact in Folsom for personal profit, who then moved the products beyond state lines.
The investigation, which fell under the purview of the IRS Criminal Investigation and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, unveiled the scale of the misconduct. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Thuesen is leading the prosecution efforts against Pham.
Current laws prescribe a maximum of five years in prison and a potential $250,000 fine for such an offense. The actual sentence, however, will be at the discretion of the court, taking into account statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines. It's important to note that these charges are allegations, and Pham is presumed innocent until proved guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
