Thief convicted for stealing $2 million worth of Apple gear faces severe consequences

In a shocking turn of events, a Nashua man finds himself facing up to a decade behind bars for orchestrating a scheme to steal a whopping $2 million worth of Apple devices. Guangwei “William” Wu, a 30-year-old resident of Nashua, New Hampshire, recently pleaded guilty to charges of interstate transportation of stolen property. The US Attorney’s Office, District of New Hampshire, revealed that Wu confessed to his involvement in this audacious crime, which involved bribery, forgery, and the rerouting of a shipment.

At the center of the operation was Wu’s transshipping company, Hai Xing Qiao, based in Manchester, NH. Initially, a legitimate customer purchased a substantial quantity of iPhones, iPads, and various other Apple products, engaging Wu’s firm to handle the transportation process, intending to send the goods to Hong Kong. However, Wu succumbed to the temptation of a $700,000 bribe from Yongfu Huo, a different Hong Kong firm. In an act of betrayal, Wu diverted the shipment to Yongfu Huo instead of its intended destination.

To further deceive the original company, Wu fabricated a fictional scenario, claiming that US law enforcement had seized the shipment. He went as far as forging a “Disclaimer of Ownership” document, complete with a counterfeit federal agent’s signature. But Wu’s carefully woven web of lies eventually unraveled when the FBI and US Postal Inspection Service launched a thorough investigation, leading to his arrest on June 1, 2023.

The gravity of Wu’s actions is not lost on the judiciary. Judge Samantha D. Elliot has scheduled his sentencing for October 4, 2023. The charges he faces carry a potential prison term of up to 10 years, followed by three years of supervised release. Additionally, Wu has been ordered to pay a substantial fine of $250,000. To make amends for his crimes, he is also obligated, as part of his guilty plea agreement, to reimburse the original customer the full $2 million value of the stolen Apple devices.