How a HR manager stole Rs 20 cr from his workplace in 10 years

An HR manager of a Chinese technology firm, Yang, has committed a financial scam worth Rs 20 crore (16 million yuan). Reportedly, in 2014 Yang had found out that he was fully in charge of the company's salary system, new hirings and resignations.

Soon, he worked out a plan to swindle money from the company by presenting fake employees in official records.

Yang fabricated 22 fake employee profiles (Xiao Sun and Xiao Li) and opened multiple bank accounts to get them linked to receive salaries.

These 'ghost employees' received regular salaries for about a decade, without setting foot in the company's office due to the linked payroll system.

According to media reports, suspicions were raised when Xiao Sun, one of the ghost employees' attendance showed a perfect six-month time period, holding an invisible position in the company situated in Shanghai's Minhang.

Sun who was listed as 'present at work for about 18 months', was never once seen in the office.

The company's Finance Department initiated a probe in 2022 which revealed that not a single person in the office had seen, met or interacted with Sun leading to an anomaly.

The investigation revealed that Yang was the culprit, who confessed to the monetary embezzlement which was going on for years.

Media reports say that Yang received a sentence of 10 years and 2 months and also a fine of Rs 3 crore, which is only a fraction of the money he swindled.

Knowing everything about the company's internal work systems allowed Yang to misuse it for years, a scandal that came to light when it was noticed that an employee was too perfect.

The case is an unsaid appeal to all companies worldwide to keep a check of their employees, systems and payroll duties.