Technology
Microsoft fires sports director for allegedly creating fake invoices and selling Super Bowl tickets
- A federal grand jury has indicted Microsoft’s former
director of Sports Marketing and Alliances for allegedly
trying to create fake invoices for up to $1.4 million, according
to the DOJ. -
The indictment alleges that Jeff Tran tried to route fake
invoices through two Microsoft vendors and that he scalped
Super Bowl tickets Microsoft acquired through its Surface
tablet partnership with the NFL. -
Tran was one of the people responsible for Microsoft’s
relationship with the NFL.
A federal grand jury has indicted Microsoft’s former
director of Sports Marketing and Alliances Jeff Tran for
allegedly trying to create more than $1.4 million in fake
invoices,
the Department of Justice announced on Thursday.
The indictment alleges that Tran, 45, tried to submit fake
invoices and that he sold Super Bowl tickets that Microsoft had
paid for, pocketing the proceeds for himself.
A big part of Tran’s job was to oversee Microsoft’s
marketing partnership with the National Football League. The most
prominent part of that relationship is the NFL’s use of Surface
tablets on the sidelines of games. Last year, the NFL signed a
renewed, five-year contract for the Surface tablets.
As part of its arrangement with the NFL, Microsoft was
allowed to buy a block of Super Bowl tickets. It was Tran’s job
to distribute them to Microsoft employees but the
indictment alleges that instead of distributing them all, he
took 62 of the tickets, sold them off for $200,000 and kept the
money for himself.
But what tipped Microsoft off was suspicions around some
invoices,
according to the Department of Justice allegations. As part
of Tran’s job, he was allowed to authorize payments to some
vendors. The indictment alleges that he had a fake $775,000
invoice submitted through Microsoft’s vendors, subverting the
payment to his own bank account. He is accused of trying to
submit another, $670,000 fake invoice as well, but when
Microsoft’s vendors grew concerned about the nature of these
invoices, they alerted the company.
Microsoft reportedly confronted Tran, the DOJ says, and he
returned the initial $775,000. The company fired him, a
spokesperson tells Business Insider, saying, “When we
learned of Mr. Tran’s conduct we investigated, terminated his
employment, and then referred the matter to law enforcement.”
Microsoft is known to pay its director-level employees pretty
well. The job may not pay millions, but a director of marketing
at Microsoft makes on average $195,000 total compensation and a
more senior person makes closer to $250,000,
according to self-reported salaries at Glassdoor.
Tran will be arraigned on the charges in U.S. District Court in
Seattle in the next ten days. Tran could not be reached for
comment.
Get the latest Microsoft stock price here.
-
Business7 days ago
London’s first defense tech hackathon brings Ukraine war closer to the city’s startups
-
Entertainment7 days ago
Mark Zuckerberg has found a new sense of style. Why?
-
Business6 days ago
Humanoid robots are learning to fall well
-
Entertainment6 days ago
2024 summer TV preview: 33 TV shows to watch this summer
-
Business5 days ago
Google Gemini: Everything you need to know about the new generative AI platform
-
Entertainment5 days ago
‘Bridgerton’: Everything you need to remember before Season 3
-
Business5 days ago
Indian ride-hailing giant Ola cuts 180 jobs in profitability push
-
Entertainment3 days ago
Hands-on with the Claude AI app: It’s pleasant to use, but janky