SoCal-Based Chinese Nationals Face Charges in Alleged Apple Device Fraud

Five Chinese nationals face federal charges alleging they operated a counterfeit Apple Inc. device scheme that included the fraudulent returns of thousands of bogus iPhones, iPads, and other products at stores throughout Southern California. Prosecutors in downtown Los Angeles said the scheme cost Apple at least $12.3 million in losses. According to the indictment, from roughly December 2015 until March 2023, alleged ringleader Yang Song, 40, of Corona and Junwei Jiang, 37, of East Los Angeles coordinated with associates in China to ship counterfeit Apple iPhones, iPads, and other devices to them and other U.S.-based co- conspirators. The counterfeit Apple devices were designed to look like genuine products, including identification numbers matching the numbers on real products that had been sold in North America and were still under warranty, according to the indictment....