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Tesla Worker Charged With Embezzling More Than $9 Million (siliconvalley.com)

Posted by EditorDavid on from the adventurous-capital dept.

An anonymous reader quotes the Bay Area Newsgroup: A former Tesla global supply manager was indicted Thursday by federal prosecutors alleging he embezzled more than $9 million from the Palo Alto electric car maker. Salil Parulekar, 32, is charged with felony wire fraud and aggravated identity theft. Parulekar oversaw Tesla's dealings with certain auto parts and services vendors, and used that position to divert to a German auto parts company $9.3 million in payments intended for a Taiwanese supplier, according to the indictment. ... Parulekar, who was living in San Jose and working for Tesla in 2016 and 2017, falsified invoices, created fake accounts-payable documents, and impersonated an employee of the Taiwanese supplier to trick Tesla's accounts-payable department into switching the bank account information of the Taiwanese and German companies, the indictment alleged.

That Taiwanese firm's complaints to Tesla about missing money went to Parulekar, who responded by sending fake documents purporting to show the payments were made, the indictment claimed.

55 comments

  1. Shocking by Hognoxious · · Score: 0

    I didn't know Tesla had that much!

    (cue Rei)

    --
    Confucius say, "Find worm in apple - bad. Find half a worm - worse."
    1. Re:Shocking by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      It's certainly more than you'll ever come close to. (continue being jealous?)

    2. Re: Shocking by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      accused a real pedophile of being a pedophile

    3. Re: Shocking by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Two comments:

      1) provide ANY evidence the guy was a pedo. You cannot.
      2) since you failed to dispute anything else I said should we assume you agree?

    4. Re: Shocking by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      1) Sexpat in Thailand
      2) Don't really care/think it's hilarious

    5. Re: Shocking by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      But his website had many good reviews! You call him at last minute - he send you special something lol

    6. Re: Shocking by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      The major media outlets accuse anyone who is a catholic priest of being a pedo without any evidence, you you defend CNN and the likes. I am not a Catholic and not a someone slobbering over Musks dick. Yet I have to disagree with the mob mentality that is pervading USAian culture today. 8 months ago Musk could do nothing wrong according to the media. Now Musk can do nothing right. Both conclusions are wrong.

      Musk was engaging in a shit talking fest with someone who criticized him on twitter. Nothing more nothing less. It is like a middle school boy calling a rival a fagot. Boys never grow up. It may be immature to call someone a pedo for criticizing your plan to rescue some Thai school children, but is it any worse than the talking heads in the Media making crude jokes about every Catholic being a pedo because for some reason they want to destroy catholics?

      Fuck Musk is not the saviour of mankind nor is he the antichrist. He is just someone who likes talking shit on twitter, who makes good rockets. Stop taking shit seriously,

    7. Re:Shocking by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Of course, an Indian...

    8. Re: Shocking by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I see you are very Jealous. I am glad you work IT in silicon valley and Musk is a billionare with a spaceship.

  2. Unaccceptable by dicobalt · · Score: 1

    Off with his head!

  3. It's Just A Small Loan by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    This is Business 101 at Trump University. He undoubtedly graduated with honors.

  4. When you pull of this scam, why stay at home? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    Surely while pulling off this scam, you are jetting off to a far off land with no extradition treaty back to the USA.

    How did he ever expect this not to be picked up eventually?

  5. Didn't think it through... by linuxguy · · Score: 1

    Instead of paying the Taiwanese supplier, he sent the money somewhere else. How did he think that it would not come back bite him? Was the Taiwanese supplier just going to forget about getting paid?

    1. Re:Didn't think it through... by whoever57 · · Score: 2

      The criminals that are caught are generally not the brightest.

      --
      The real "Libtards" are the Libertarians!
    2. Re:Didn't think it through... by Cyberax · · Score: 1

      Was the Taiwanese supplier just going to forget about getting paid?

      You'd be surprised how much slack exists in dealing between large corporations. Million dollar invoices can legitimately get lost or misrouted.

    3. Re:Didn't think it through... by mentil · · Score: 1

      I think he was expecting that noone with power over him would ever find out. The company complains directly to him, he never tells a soul, and effectively buries the complaint.

      --
      Corruption is convincing someone that the selfless ideal is the same as their selfish ideal.
  6. International Embezzlement by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Mr. Parulekar was doing a job that Americans wouldn't do.

  7. Re:God I hate that c6gunner fucker... apk by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    See subject: I heard the ... blather blather blather

    i'd personally be in favor of shutting down Slashdot just so these cretins didn't have a forum.

  8. Such an elaborate scheme... who said tesla doesnt by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    hire the best?

  9. Re:God I hate that c6gunner fucker... apk by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Hell no! I love seeing APK splatter those that impersonate or stalk him. Especially ZIP who RAN vs. APK https://developers.slashdot.or... when he was called out.

  10. Good! by Gravis+Zero · · Score: 1

    I don't know about you but I want all the frauds to be prosecuted for their crimes. So many are merely swept under the table and it's infuriating.

    --
    Anons need not reply. Questions end with a question mark.
    1. Re:Good! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Fraud like funding secured.

    2. Re:Good! by Gravis+Zero · · Score: 1, Insightful

      It's the big people who get away scot free. Reality Winner is in prison while Hillary Clinton is still at large. The same crime, but the laws only apply to the little people.

      So Hillary went out of her way to give a newspaper classified information? Nope. It should be noted that her own server actually was secure and was never breached. If you want to talk about someone who is being careless with national security, I got a current president that won't even consistently use secure government phones and you can scream about that for a decade. Oh wait, you're a partisan hack, I forgot.

      --
      Anons need not reply. Questions end with a question mark.
    3. Re:Good! by DNS-and-BIND · · Score: 1, Troll

      Mishandling secret documents is a grave offense, even if nobody broke into the server. Spoiler alert: foreign intelligence agencies were all over it. It was a windows server computer and the program was **Microsoft remote desktop**. No shell requirement to get into her shit. It was that **easy**.

      The only reason the Clintons were not frog marched in cuffs for numerous felonies over the years was the swamp and the fact that the elites in both parties have been covering for each other for decades. Ask any active duty military. If they had done what Hillary did with her email server and classified emails, they would be in jail. Just like Reality Winner. Nearly all politicians are crooked, but to try to claim that the Clintons are not outright mobsters is laughable to anyone who has been paying attention. Hell, Bill Clinton straight up raped several women and got away with it.

      --
      Shutting down free speech with violence isn't fighting fascism. It IS fascism!
    4. Re:Good! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      You have no evidence that anyone was "all over it". It's just what you want to be true in your small, feeble little mind.

      And I note your lack of criticism of the great Orangeoutang and his continued use of insecure phones. Talk about "foreign intelligence agencies" being all over it. But that's Trump and not Clinton so the fecal matter you have instead of brain substance tells you it's not important.

    5. Re:Good! by serviscope_minor · · Score: 1

      Mishandling secret documents is a grave offense,

      Not in general it isn't. It depends on many things like intent, the classification level and compartment (if applicable), severity, and the fallout of doing so. People working behind the fence often screw up. It happens, people are human.

      Generally the penalties aren't severe because mostly nothing gets leaked and really REALLY importantly if the penalties are severe then it's worth people's time to cover it up and hide it rather than come clean. It turns out that people have been running classified things for a while now and they've actually learned how to do it decently well and how to mitigate the annoying fact that everyone involved is human.

      In fact in many cases about the worst that happens is you have to do a training course and all the local rules are tightened a bit.

      --
      SJW n. One who posts facts.
    6. Re:Good! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      It's amazing some people have so much faith in CNN.

    7. Re:Good! by fustakrakich · · Score: 1

      The only reason the Clintons were not frog marched in cuffs for numerous felonies over the years was the swamp and the fact that the elites in both parties have been covering for each other for decades.

      Blackmail in their world is MAD

      Everybody has insurance

      --
      “He’s not deformed, he’s just drunk!”
  11. It's odd by fozzy1015 · · Score: 2, Insightful

    So far, no indication of how he benefitted from the embezzling. He didn't steal money from accounts and run. His behavior has been as if he didn't think he was hurting Tesla. His accounts were removed today but his social media posts showed he was a big drinker of the Tesla kool aid. There's a good chance this scheme went higher than him.

    1. Re:It's odd by King_TJ · · Score: 1

      I wondered about that too. Unless the German auto parts company was one he had ownership in, it doesn't seem like there would be enough in it for him to take these kinds of risks and go through all the hassles to forge documents claiming the other firm was paid, etc.

      I mean, even if he received kickbacks for getting Tesla to do more business with the German firm instead of the Taiwanese firm? He was on borrowed time, knowing the Taiwanese firm expected to be paid for whatever they supplied.

    2. Re:It's odd by mentil · · Score: 1

      Maybe he never quite figured out the '???' step.

      --
      Corruption is convincing someone that the selfless ideal is the same as their selfish ideal.
    3. Re:It's odd by mentil · · Score: 2

      Perhaps the Taiwanese company had little liquid capital, and a competitor paid him off to help put them under. $9 million might've been tiny compared to what they would pay for their competitor to be driven to bankruptcy.
      Alternatively, given he seems to hold strong views, it's possible he felt that a German company was more deserving of Tesla's business than a Taiwanese company, and was sending the money 'where it belonged'.

      --
      Corruption is convincing someone that the selfless ideal is the same as their selfish ideal.
    4. Re:It's odd by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Just for devil's advocate, if you were embezzling lots of money from a company you worked for, would you be on social media ranting against them and drawing attention to yourself, or would you be the huge supporter, telling everyone how beyond reproach the company is and how much you love everything they have and do?

  12. I wonder if... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    He was h1 visa worker...

  13. Re: Thanks & quote a hero of mine Marcus Allen by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Don't get too carried away. I complimented you and enjoy you splattering ZIP when he impersonates you. But you are nothing like your hero, Marcus Allen. I'm pretty certain NFL players don't live in run-down $1 houses they bought from their parents. Go after the retard ZIP all you want, but remember that unlike you, Marcus Allen was actually successful.

  14. By great APK means new carpet by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    You replaced the carpet that was crusted in cat shit for $35,000. It cost so much because they had to bring in a hazmat team to take it out. You live in the ghetto of Syracuse which is a dump of a city on land that would be worth more if your shit hole of a house, sorry duplex, was bulldozed and hauled away.

  15. Hahaha - wtf? apk by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Oh man, see subject (lmao after that): I didn't have cats until I ripped the carpet out & tenants of mine left 2 cats (starved/beaten) I made a promise to - that I would NOT let that happen to them (or their progeny)... that was 9++ yrs. ago & I've HELD to my word (glad I did - they're great).

    * NOW, answer a SIMPLE question & prove it - YOU own your own home FULLY paid off?

    I've been drinking beers LMAO @ you "flailing" & FAILING (all you KNOW how to do vs. me especially ZIP https://developers.slashdot.or... & ZIP has a registered 'lusr' account ADMITTING he HIDES from me DOWNMOD BOMBING my posts https://yro.slashdot.org/comme... (weak as always from him))

    APK

    P.S.=> lol, oh man - Dude - 35k in CARPET? Please (what are they made of that costs THAT much) - I went hardwood & stone tile (easier maintence by FAR)... apk

    1. Re: Hahaha - wtf? apk by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      By the way apk, did you vote last week? If so, which party? Who do you support for 2020?

    2. Re:Hahaha - wtf? apk by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Yes I do own my own home, fully paid off. It is nicer than yours as it is a real house and isn't in the expensive dump of Syracuse. I also own some recreational property, a quarter-quarter, that is worth more than your shit hole and several individual items that are worth more than your dump of a house. No debt and I am almost 20 years younger than you are. I also wasn't sold my house by my parents for a $1 nor did I have to go into debt for my college which I paid for myself. Furthermore I didn't live with my parents in their basement like you did until they sold you their place. Just because are a retard and can barely function in society doesn't mean everyone else is.

  16. Does it matter? apk by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    See subject & not your business: What matters?? A friendly (extremely) message I'm passing onto https://yro.slashdot.org/comme... you as it was to me (glad to be human & here, hope u are too after seeing what we can REALLY do (especiallly so others grow by it))

    * It transcends mere politics & reaches into us all humanity...

    APK

    P.S.=> Politicians, governments COME & GO, humanity doesn't - I revel in it & especially those graced by God to inspire the rest of our sorry asses, lol... apk

  17. Re: God I hate that c6gunner fucker... apk by c6gunner · · Score: 1

    I continue to better myself

    lol

  18. PROVE IT (anyone can talk)... apk by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    See subject talker - Let's see your proof of all you say.

    APK

    P.S.=> "Run, Forrest: RUN!!!" = you... apk

    1. Re:PROVE IT (anyone can talk)... apk by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      APK you claim you are smart and know who I am you go look up the public records your self.

  19. awash in government money by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Probably Tesla is so awash in the governments money, that everyone there is stealing why it lasts

  20. I have no idea of your real name... apk by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    See subject: What IS your REAL name then? You HIDE behind UNIDENTIFIABLE anonymous STALKING me - you own zero & you know it.

    * I've never seen a title to a home have the name "Anonymous Coward" on it - & that's all I see from you as you STALK me by UNIDENTIFIABLE anonymous.

    APK

    P.S.=> Loser... apk

  21. IMPERSONATING me AGAIN? apk by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    See subject: Hope you're RIGHT (considering I'm only sure hosts stop portsmash vs. Spectre/Meltdown) https://tech.slashdot.org/comm...

    I pity c6gunner caught impersonating me (his name's the submitter signing "APK") https://linux.slashdot.org/com...

    * He tried to INSULT me & so I made him a COMPLETELY FAIR CHALLENGE he couldn't meet or beat by showing me he's done better work in the past prior to his impersonating me there.

    (You shouldn't throw stones when you live in a glass house boys - especially vs. me: RIGHT, ZIP? https://developers.slashdot.or... )

    APK

    P.S.=> Hosts stop portsmash (by blocking download sources of its mailcious exes doing it) https://it.slashdot.org/commen... not Spectre/Meltdown AFAIK @ least - & YOU FAIL THIS PORTFILTERING TEST liar https://yro.slashdot.org/comme... (my program won't allow that error) so cut your lies as you IMPERSONATE me you pitiful loser... apk