Prosecutors allege that from December 2015 to March 2024, Song and Jiang coordinated with unidentified co-conspirators in China to ship counterfeit Apple iPhones, iPads, and other devices to the U.S. These counterfeit products were designed to mimic genuine Apple devices and included identification numbers matching those on real Apple products sold in North America, which were owned by real people and covered by Apple’s manufacturer warranty and AppleCare+.
The defendants reportedly visited Apple stores throughout southern California to return the counterfeit devices, claiming they wouldn’t turn on, were physically damaged, or had other defects. Apple employees then replaced the counterfeit devices with genuine Apple products, either during the in-store visit or later through the mail, according to prosecutors.
To avoid detection, the defendants rented dozens of mailboxes at UPS stores across southern California and used aliases to make appointments at Apple stores. Once they obtained the genuine devices, they shipped them to co-conspirators in the U.S. and abroad, primarily in China, where the devices were resold at a substantial profit.
