Former Tesla employee allegedly embezzled millions
Salil Parulekar, a former Tesla employee, was charged Thursday by a federal grand jury of embezzling about $9.3 million from the electric automaker in 2016-2017.
Parulekar was a manager in Tesla’s Global Supply Management Group through December and allegedly used his role to initiate a scheme wherein he diverted money owed to one Tesla supplier and caused it to be paid to another supplier, whose contract had been terminated, according to the indictment.
He has been charged with nine counts of wire fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft.
As previously reported by FOX Business Thursday, Tesla named Robyn Denholm as the new chair of its board, replacing Chief Executive Elon Musk who stepped down from the post as part of a settlement with the Securities and Exchange Commission, which was investigating allegations that Musk misled investors.
Tesla shares are up almost 16 percent year-to-date.