Apple’s Security Chief Faces Bribery Charges Over Gun License Scandal
Apple’s chief security officer, Thomas Moyer, is once again facing criminal charges related to an alleged bribery scandal involving gun licenses. An appeals court has overturned a previous ruling that dismissed the case, and Moyer is now set to face trial on bribery charges.
The controversy emerged in 2020 when Moyer was accused of offering to donate 200 iPads to the Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Office in exchange for concealed firearm permits. A two-year investigation conducted by the Santa Clara District Attorney’s Office uncovered evidence that two officials withheld issuing the permits until Moyer and his colleague, Harpreet Chadha, provided something of value.
Undersheriff Rick Sung and Captain James Jensen were implicated in the scheme, as they had deliberately withheld four separate firearm permits from Apple employees. However, the deal fell through when Sung and Moyer learned that the District Attorney had executed a search warrant and seized concealed carry weapons (CCW) records.
In June 2021, Judge Eric Geffon of the Santa Clara County Superior Court dismissed the case against Moyer, citing a lack of evidence and erroneous instructions given by a prosecutor to the grand jury. However, this ruling has now been overturned on appeal, following a challenge from the District Attorney.
The three-judge state appeals court panel that reviewed the case concluded that a promise to donate to an official’s office could be considered a bribe. As a result, Moyer finds himself back on trial, facing charges of bribery.
Santa Clara District Attorney Jeff Rosen expressed his satisfaction with the latest ruling, stating, Moyer is right back where he should be – on the trial calendar and charged with bribery.
Apple has not yet commented on the latest development in the case. However, when the original allegations surfaced in 2020, an Apple spokesperson stated, We expect all of our employees to conduct themselves with integrity. After learning of the allegations, we conducted a thorough internal investigation and found no wrongdoing.
The upcoming trial will shed further light on this high-profile case, which has put the spotlight on Apple’s security chief and raised questions about the integrity of the concealed firearms permit process.
