Nvidia staffer detained in Taiwan over AI chip smuggling to China
TAIPEI, July 28 — Prosecutors in Taiwan have detained an Nvidia employee as part of an investigation into the smuggling of the US tech giant’s AI chips to China, a source familiar with the case told AFP on Tuesday.
The man was detained after investigators raided his home and workplace on July 24, Keelung District Prosectors Office said in a statement without mentioning Nvidia.
He is suspected of offences including “the falsification of business documents under the Criminal Code”, the prosecutors said in a statement.
The United States restricts exports to China of the most cutting-edge silicon chips used to power artificial intelligence systems, designed by industry leader Nvidia.
Officials said in May they were investigating the shipment of “high-end” AI servers made by Nasdaq-listed Super Micro and containing advanced Nvidia chips to China, Macau and Hong Kong, in violation of US export controls.
“This Nvidia employee was identified as a person involved in the case after investigators analysed the relevant evidence following the previous round of searches targeting Super Micro,” the source told.
