A former Facebook executive admitted, She pleaded guilty to fraud after stealing more than $4 million from the social media company.
Barbara Furlow Smiles (38 years old) managed several diversity, equality and inclusion programs at Facebook. From January 2017 to September 2021. During that period, she stole money through an "elaborate scheme" Prosecutors say it includes “fraudulent sellers, bogus charges and cash bribes.”
Prosecutors said Barbara Furlow Smiles, who was responsible for developing and implementing diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives at Facebook, used the stolen money to live a lavish lifestyle in California and Georgia.
Prosecutors said that Furlow Smiles, who pleaded guilty in Atlanta federal court on Monday, made Facebook, It pays people for goods and services that were not actually provided to the company, and then makes those individuals pay bribes to it.
“These individuals included friends, relatives, former interns at a previous job, nannies and babysitters, a hairdresser, and her college tutor,” the US Attorney’s Office said.
US Attorney Ryan Buchanan said: “The defendant abused her position of trust as global chief diversity officer at Facebook to defraud the company of millions of dollars, ignoring the malicious consequences of undermining the importance of her diversity, equity and inclusion mission.”
Buchanan added: “Motivated by greed, she used her time to orchestrate an elaborate criminal scheme in which fraudulent sellers paid bribes in cash. She even involved her relatives, friends and other accomplices in her crimes, all to finance a lavish lifestyle through fraud instead of hard and honest work.”
As part of the scheme, Furlow Smiles linked its PayPal, Venmo and Cash App accounts to its credit cards on Facebook. These accounts were used to pay friends, relatives and other partners for goods and services allegedly provided to Facebook.
It is not clear whether any of Furlow Smiles' associates have been charged in connection with the case.
Prosecutors said that Meta, the parent company that owns Facebook, provided assistance and cooperation in the criminal investigation.
A Meta spokesperson said: “We are cooperating with law enforcement authorities in the case involving this former program director, and will continue to do so.”
Furlow Smiles, who lives in Atlanta, is scheduled to be sentenced on March 19, and is now free on $5,000 bail.
"Google Maps" You get new features
Google announced that Google Maps services will have new features that make it easier for users to control their data.
Google indicated on its official websites that Google Maps services will feature a new feature to delete activities related to specific places. For example, if the user plans to attend a birthday and wants to buy a cake from a nearby bakery, the maps will show him the location of the laboratory and the destinations that he will use to reach it. This data will be collected in one place so that the user can refer to it later or easily delete it with just a few clicks.
According to available information, the new feature will appear in Google Maps applications on Android and iOS devices within the next few weeks.
The other feature that Google will also add is the ability to easily access the main controls in the Maps application through the blue dot that shows the user his location when using the application. Once he clicks on this point, the user will see the application settings related to determining the location, and he will be able to activate or disable some of these settings.
Google wrote on its websites on the subject: “Your location information is personal information and data. We are committed to maintaining its security and privacy so that it is under your control. You must remember that Google Maps does not leak this data to any party, so there is no need to worry, and you can spend more time.” In exploring new places.
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