Phones Canada team brings you the shocking story of the notorious Liao family. In a hustle to replace around 10,000 fake iPhones and iPads with genuine ones at Apple Stores across the US and Canada, the Liao brothers found themselves facing the law. Zhimin Liao and Zhiting Liao have been sentenced to 41 months in federal prison, while their wives received three years of probation. Meanwhile, the third brother, Zhiwei, awaits his sentencing later this month.
The Liao brothers’ plan was deceptively simple – importing fake iPhones and iPads from China, exchanging them for authentic Apple devices at the stores, and then selling the genuine products for a profit. Over the span of eight years, the scheme operated, resulting in a staggering loss of approximately $6.1 million for Apple.
Executing their plan was no easy task. Zhimin Liao personally visited 105 Apple stores in 22 states, attempting to exchange around 720 counterfeit iPhones and iPads. Similarly, Zhiting Liao made his way to at least 200 Apple stores in 18 states and Canada, trying to exchange approximately 718 fake devices. The brothers’ efforts to trick the Apple Stores proved to be a taxing occupation.
We present this cautionary tale as a reminder of the importance of integrity and honesty in the mobile industry. Let us learn from the mistakes of others and strive to build a community of trust and reliability.
