We need your help! Join our growing army and click here to subscribe to ad-free Revolver. Or give a one-time or recurring donation during this critical time.
The left says diversity is supposed to be our strength. But the woke team over at Facebook might be questioning that mantra right about now. It turns out their recent superstar diversity hire just pleaded guilty to running a wild $4 million kickback scheme that appears to have greatly benefited her and her diverse pals.
A former Facebook diversity program manager pleaded guilty to scamming the social media giant out of more than $4 million through a scheme in which she faked business deals in exchange for kickbacks, the Justice Department said.
Barbara Furlow-Smiles, who served as lead strategist and global head of employee resource groups and diversity engagement at Facebook, used the stolen funds to live an extravagant lifestyle that spanned from California to Georgia, prosecutors said.
From approximately January 2017 to September 2021, Furlow-Smiles led Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programs at Facebook and was responsible for developing and executing DEI initiatives, operations, and engagement programs,” according to the DOJ.
The feds said Furlow-Smiles, who had access to company credit cards and the ability to approve invoices as part of her role at the company, “caused Facebook to pay numerous individuals,” including her friends and relatives, “for goods and services never provided to the company.”
Those individuals would later funnel kickbacks to Furlow-Smiles.
In essence, here’s what she likely did: she approved invoices for payments to individuals—presumably her friends posing as “diversity consultants” or what have you—for essentially no work. Then, her friends gave her kickbacks—in cash, no less—for these approvals.
Wow, Ms. Smiles had quite a setup going, didn’t she? All that focus on diversity certainly seemed to benefit her in the short term. And Facebook? They never suspected anything wrong with one of their prized diversity hires. Even if they had doubts, they probably would have been too scared to speak up. Now, however, it looks like the jig is up and Ms. Smiles will find herself in the majority rather than the minority at her next federal destination. One thing is for sure: this situation is a prime example of the consequences when hiring is made based on skin color rather than merit. For Facebook, this has turned out to be one heck of an expensive life lesson in how “diversity” actually isn’t our strength.
SUPPORT REVOLVER — DONATE — SUBSCRIBE — NEWSFEED — GAB — GETTR — TRUTH SOCIAL — TWITTER
Join the Discussion