Apple eventually investigated the iPhone supply chain in China, but found no evidence of incorrect use

Suppliers who were in Apple's cross hair still supplied technical giant with parts that were in Apple's best interests. Finding a new iPhone component supplier at such short notice would be difficult to do. As it turned out, no supplier had to be dropped; Apple told Journal that there was no sign of backgammon or bribery. Nevertheless, an Apple leader who was involved in the purchase of parts and two junior members of the Supply Management Team in China left the company in May. According to people familiar with Apple's probe, it was about the same time that Apple began to sniff around a vendor and asked for possible repayments to Apple employees.

Back in 201[ads1]0, an Apple Global Supply Administrator named Paul Shin Devine was accused of receiving over $ 1 million in setbacks from six Apple vendors in Asia. In the United States he was arrested, and after being granted permission to receive the money from the suppliers, he was sentenced to one year in prison. He was also ordered to pay $ 4.5 million in repayment.