Feds charge 3 in $2.5b scheme to smuggle us AI tech to China using dummy servers
Federal prosecutors charged three men linked to Super Micro Computer Inc. in a sweeping scheme to smuggle billions of dollars in U.S. artificial intelligence technology to China using fake documents, shell companies and staged equipment, officials said. The defendants allegedly diverted $2.5 billion worth of AI servers — including $510 million in just a few weeks in 2025 — to China. Yih-Shyan Liaw, 71, a U.S. citizen, and Ting-Wei Sun, 44, of Taiwan, were arrested Thursday, while a third individual, Ruei-Tsang Chang, 53, also of Taiwan, remains at large. "The indictment unsealed today details alleged efforts to evade U.S. export laws through false documents, staged dummy servers to mislead inspectors, and convoluted transshipment schemes, in order to obfuscate the true destination of restricted AI technology — China," Assistant Attorney General for National Security John A. Eisenberg said in a statement. "These chips are the product of American ingenuity, and NSD wi...