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But Toni Ann Branca’s lavish life—complete with purchases from Louis Vuitton and Gucci—has come screeching to a halt now that justice has come knocking.
Branca has been indicted in New Jersey on charges of second-degree theft by deception for embezzling $243,000 from Apple between 2013 and 2016 to fund her lifestyle.
Branca worked as an administrative assistant for Apple. She worked primarily from home and arranged training, travel, and parking for other Apple employees in the area, according to authorities, and used a company credit card in her name to do so.
Of the almost quarter-million dollars she is accused of stealing, authorities allege that Branca spent more than $110,000 at retail stores.
Apple found out about the alleged scheme after seeing numerous Victoria’s Secret charges on Branca’s company credit card statement, said New Jersey Attorney General Christopher Porrino. The company then reached out to the Division of Criminal Justice to prosecute the case.
“White collar crime doesn’t just harm business. Ultimately, it has a detrimental impact on employees, consumers, and commerce in general, and we all end up paying for it,” Porrino said in a statement. “By aggressively prosecuting offenders like this defendant, we send a strong message to others who might consider stealing from their employers.”
“The lawyers and detectives in our financial crimes bureau are experts at tracking the money and building strong cases against those who engage in schemes of the type Branca allegedly devised,” said Elie Honig, Director of the Division of Criminal Justice. “White collar criminals often believe they have found the perfect scam, but we ensure that they pay for their crimes.”
If convicted, Branca faces five to 10 years in prison and a $150,000 fine.
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