CONCORD – A former Nashua man was sentenced in federal court for transporting stolen Apple products worth $2 million, U.S. Attorney Jane E. Young announces.
Guangwei “William” Wu, 31, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Samantha D. Elliott to one year and one day in prison, one year of supervised release, and a $10,000 fine. Wu was also ordered to pay $2 million in restitution, which he has already repaid. On June 22, 2023, Wu pleaded guilty to the interstate transportation of stolen property.
“The defendant engaged in a sophisticated fraud scheme where he accepted a bribe of significant value, diverted shipments of stolen Apple products worth approximately $2 million, and then forged a federal agent’s signature to cover his tracks. These are serious offenses,” said U.S. Attorney Jane E. Young. “The Court’s imposed sentence of incarceration in federal prison and full restitution are just consequences for his bold crimes.”
“Guangwei Wu accepted a bribe, shipped $2 million worth of stolen Apple products to Hong Kong, and then lied about it. Actions like his hurt hard-working business owners trying to make an earnest living, and today’s sentence holds Mr. Wu accountable for his crimes,” said Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Boston Division.
“The U.S. Postal Inspection Service continuously seeks to identify and stop complex fraud schemes. Guangwei Wu’s reshipping scheme of stolen Apple products resulted in millions of dollars in losses,” said Ketty Larco-Ward, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Boston Division. “We will continue our work with our law enforcement partners to stop those who are engaged in these types of criminal activities.”
The defendant owned and operated a transshipping company in Manchester called Hai Xing Qiao. In fall 2022, the victim company purchased Apple products, including iPads, iPhones, Apple Watches, and Macbooks, and then hired Hai Xing Qiao to forward the products onto Hong Kong. However, Yongfu Huo, another Hong Kong-based company, paid a bribe of over $700,000 to the defendant to have the products shipped to Yongfu Huo instead. To cover up his tracks, the defendant claimed that law enforcement had seized the Apple products and sent the victim company a false document titled “Disclaimer of Ownership” purportedly issued by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. The defendant also forged the signature of a federal agent on the document.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and U.S. Postal Inspection Service led the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander S. Chen prosecuted the case.
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