STANFORD — Over three years, an employee at Stanford University’s School of Humanities and Sciences stole more than 800 laptop computers that officials estimate were worth around $2.2 million, federal prosecutors alleged in court records.
The allegations were made by federal prosecutors in California’s Eastern District, who have charged Redwood City resident Eric Castaneda with selling the stolen laptops. Though Castaneda is the only person charged, the charging records says he worked with two others, including his sister — who worked at Stanford at the time — and a Folsom resident, who allegedly bought the stolen goods and re-sold them in turn.
The charging records refer to Castaneda’s sister as “Person 1” and the Folsom resident as “Co-Conspirator 1.”
Castaneda, charged with conspiracy to transport stolen property across state lines, allegedly re-sold the stolen laptops. The charging records allege that his sister used her position at the school to make fraudulent purchase orders, purporting the computers were for “faculty and staff when, in fact, she purchased the Apple MacBooks to steal and sell to others.”
Many of the laptops were sold to the Folsom resident, who in turn shipped the laptops to other buyers. Some of the stolen laptops crossed state lines, making it a federal offense, prosecutor allege.
“On or about February 6, 2016, Co-conspirator 1 sent Castaneda a text message asking if he had Apple MacBooks to sell,” prosecutors allege. “Co-conspirator 1 told Castaneda he ‘would literally buy 100 if they were there to buy.’”
The alleged scheme lasted from February 2016 to July 2019, authorities said.
Staff writer Robert Salonga contributed to this report.
