Apple Fires Employees Over Charity Donation Fraud

Apple logo on a glass building at sunset.

Apple recently terminated approximately 50 employees at its Cupertino headquarters after uncovering fraudulent misuse of the company’s charity donation matching program. The Matching Gifts initiative, designed to amplify employee donations to nonprofit organizations, was reportedly exploited for personal gain.


Fraudulent Scheme Uncovered

An investigation revealed that some employees collaborated with specific nonprofit organizations to siphon funds. The scheme involved redirecting both the employee donations and Apple’s matching contributions back to the employees themselves.

Apple logo on a glass building at sunset.

This follows a prior incident in December 2024, where six ex-employees were accused of misappropriating $152,000 from the same program over three years. The funds were allegedly funneled through two nonprofits: the American Chinese International Cultural Exchange (ACICE) and Hop4Kids. In that case, one of the accused, Siu Kei Kwan, served as both CEO of Hop4Kids and accountant for ACICE.

Authorities in Santa Clara County charged the six individuals with grand theft, conspiracy to commit felony, perjury, and tax fraud. Kwan also reportedly used the fraudulent donations to claim tax deductions for the defendants.


While the total financial loss from the latest misconduct remains unclear, investigations are ongoing. Additional arrests and charges against former employees may follow as the scope of the fraud is fully revealed.

Company Response

Apple, like many corporations, implements corporate social responsibility programs to support employee-driven philanthropy. However, the recent misconduct underscores vulnerabilities in such systems. The company has not commented on potential changes to its Matching Gifts program but is expected to tighten oversight to prevent further misuse.

Broader Implications

The scandal raises questions about accountability in workplace charity programs and the need for robust safeguards. While such initiatives foster goodwill, incidents like this highlight the potential for exploitation and the importance of stringent monitoring.

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