He had the help of accomplices who managed to smuggle the iPhones out of the factory
Foxconn isn’t new when it comes to facing scandals and the latest one will definitely put companies and partners on the tip of their feet when they would want to trust as assembler like Foxconn ever again. This is because industry sources claim that a Foxconn executive successfully managed to steal about 5,700 iPhones from the factory he was working at, but he was not alone in the act.
Smuggling 5,700 iPhones is definitely a task that’s not fit for a single person. The employee goes by the family name of Tsai and was responsible for working with eight accomplices to start the smuggling phase of the iPhones. According to the source, the smartphones comprised up of iPhone 5 and iPhone 5s models. These models were supposed to be scrapped, but were instead sold to stores in China, thus making the group much richer than before. In total, the group managed to steal approximately $1.56 million worth of smartphones, and since they sold them at a slightly higher price tag, then naturally must have made a tiny fortune out of it.
One reason why the Tsai’s group managed to steal these phones without being noticed in a factory that comprises of hundreds of workers is because the devices were actually intended for testing rather than being sold to the consumer. Since there are several entrances to the Foxconn factory, the group must have made its own custom routes in and out of the factory to help get out so many smartphones without being spotted by fellow workers. Tsai now faces 10 years in prison, but the verdict has not decided the amount of fine he will have to pay for stealing that many iPhones.
After yet another incident at Foxconn, companies are going to be careful whom they partner with in the future.