Last week reports around the web exploded in regard to a Foxconn employee who apparently committed suicide over a misplaced iPhone prototype.
The reports also indicated that the employee, Sun Danyong, was heavily interrogated by his department head. Some reports with inside information indicated that Danyong was subjected to grueling interrogation. At first, Danyong's reason for committing suicide was largely unknown but was attributed to his working conditions at Foxconn.
This isn't the first time that Foxconn has been under the public eye for issues regarding the way its employees are treated. But today, a report by the New York Times revealed that Foxconn claims that Dayong had a history of misplacing products.
“Several times he had some products missing, then he got them back,” Said James Lee, General Manager of Foxconn's China operations.“We don’t know who took the product, but it was at his stop.”
Foxconn also denied beating Danyong, and claimed that the interrogation officer merely put his hand on Danyong's shoulders after becoming angry with the late employee.
Foxconn apparently has paid out roughly $44,000 USD to Danyong's family, and gave Danyong's girlfriend an Apple MacBook. Shockingly, while visiting Foxconn, a journalist was threatened to be beaten up by two men wearing Foxconn shirts and a guard if he continued to ask Danyong's family questions.
As for Apple, representatives from the company indicated to reporters that it is currently awaiting the the investigation results in order to determine the appropriate action.