Fry’s salesman allegedly stole millions

A California computer salesman whose alleged gambling cost $162 million in three years, has been charged with defrauding Fry’s Electronics out of $65 million.

Ausaf Umar Siddiqui was fired Monday after 10 years with the company where, as vice president of merchandising and operations, he allegedly operated a kickback scheme starting in 2005, the San Jose (Calif.) Mercury News reported Tuesday.

Papers filed by the Internal Revenue Service in federal court claim Siddiqui spent $162 million at the MGM Grand Casino and Las Vegas Sands Casino, the newspaper said.

In October, the complaint says, an employee noticed confidential spread sheets with inexplicably high commission levels on Siddiqui’s desk.

Formal charges of money-laundering and wire fraud are expected next month, the newspaper reported.

He was allegedly causing Fry’s to overpay millions on merchandise, IRS spokeswoman Arlette Lee told the Mercury News.