U.S. Probes Alice Huang Links to Chip Smuggling Allegations

The Justice Department is examining whether entities linked to Alice Huang helped smuggle Super Micro products into China, while Attorney General Todd Blanche said investigators have reached no conclusion about whether she is a spy. Nvidia has separately opened an independent investigation into whether a foreign intelligence operation targeted its chief executive, Jensen Huang.

Blanche said at a Thursday press conference that investigators were looking into the matter but had not reached conclusions about who Alice Huang is or is not. The department’s examination of possible smuggling links was reported as based on Bloomberg’s account; the department has not publicly detailed the inquiry in the reports.

The reported inquiry is being led by Manhattan federal prosecutors and includes scrutiny of Megaspeed International, Alice Huang’s former company, on suspicion of semiconductor smuggling. Megaspeed has denied wrongdoing. It remains uncertain whether the inquiry is connected to existing chip-smuggling prosecutions or what role, if any, Alice Huang or entities tied to her played. The allegations have not been established publicly.

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