Apple’s chief security officer must face bribery charges involving gun licenses

Apple’s chief security officer Thomas Moyer must face a criminal charge that he bribed California officials for gun licenses after a state appeals court revived a case that was dismissed two years ago, reports Bloomberg.

In November 2020 issued two indictments charging the Santa Clara County Undersheriff, a previously indicted sheriff’s captain, a local business owner, and the head of Global Security for Apple, with bribery, according to the Santa Clara Office of the District Attorney.

Undersheriff Rick Sung and Captain James Jensen were accused of requesting bribes for concealed firearms (CCW) licenses. Insurance broker Harpreet Chadha and Moyer are accused of offering bribes to get them.

Attorneys for Moyer and Chadha maintained their clients’ innocence, saying they were collateral damage in an ongoing political rivalry between Rosen and Sheriff Smith.

“Tom Moyer is innocent of the charges filed against him,” hie attorney Ed Swanson told the Morgan Hill Times. “He did nothing wrong and has acted with the highest integrity throughout his career. We have no doubt that he will be acquitted at trial.”

In June 2021 a court in California dismissed bribery charges against Thomas Moyer, writing that a key element of the case was “pure speculation” by prosecutors and unsupported by evidence,

However, Bloomberg reports that a three-judge state appeals court panel ruled Friday that a lower court judge shouldn’t have thrown out a bribery charge against him.

“This appeal raises a question not yet addressed by any California court: whether a public official may be bribed with a promise to donate to the official’s office,” wrote the appeals panel. “We conclude that such a promise may constitute a bribe.”