Federal authorities have turned their attention to Alice Huang, previously flagged by U.S. officials for suspected espionage, as they look into whether she or groups tied to her tried to move Super Micro Computer Inc. products into China. The U.S. attorney's office in Manhattan is leading the inquiry, according to a source familiar with the case who asked not to be named due to the investigation's sensitivity. The Justice Department has not released any public indictment, complaint, or press statement naming Alice Huang, Huang Le, Megaspeed International, Super Micro Computer Inc., or Yih-Shyan "Wally" Liaw in connection with alleged semiconductor smuggling, and there is no published case number or charging statute from the department on this matter.
The investigation into Alice Huang comes as authorities step up enforcement against illegal technology transfers. Prosecutors charged Super Micro co-founder Yih-Shyan "Wally" Liaw and two others in March, accusing them of conspiring to send Nvidia-powered servers to a Southeast Asian company, which were then allegedly redirected to Chinese buyers. Super Micro was not named as a defendant in that case and has said it is cooperating with authorities. The Justice Department's recent public announcements have focused on other cases, including a multi-state drug-trafficking and money-laundering probe and a separate human-smuggling case, with no public record of an export-control or semiconductor-related indictment involving the named people or companies.
Background and Company Responses
Alice Huang, also known as Huang Le, has been associated with Megaspeed International, a company previously described as the largest buyer of Nvidia chips in Southeast Asia. The Justice Department is already investigating Megaspeed International for suspected semiconductor smuggling, according to Bloomberg News. Megaspeed denies any wrongdoing and says it has never been a Super Micro customer. There is no verified record confirming Megaspeed as Southeast Asia's largest Nvidia-chip buyer, and no public dates, ownership details, procurement numbers, or export-license data for these entities appear in official federal records.
Super Micro, in a statement after publication, highlighted its cooperation with U.S. and Taiwanese officials and said it has also provided information to Singapore authorities. The company stated, "Supermicro has been responsive to inquiries and has fully cooperated with US and Taiwanese officials, while also voluntarily providing information and engaging with all requests from Singapore authorities to date." Super Micro added, "Megaspeed is not, and has never been, a Supermicro customer. Supermicro maintains a robust compliance program and continues to work closely with authorities and industry partners to combat diversion and help protect American innovation." No official statement from Super Micro, Nvidia, Megaspeed, Singaporean authorities, Taiwanese authorities, or the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York appears in federal records regarding the alleged technology diversion case.
Efforts to contact Alice Huang have not succeeded. Bloomberg News reports she is currently living in Beijing with the awareness of security officials.
Wider Implications and Ongoing Investigations
The investigation into Alice Huang is unfolding quickly and has drawn attention across the technology sector. U.S. prosecutors are also looking at her connection to former Nvidia Chief Executive Officer Jensen Huang. Jensen Huang recently disclosed an extramarital affair, which led to his exit as CEO and caused Nvidia's share price to drop sharply. However, a person familiar with the matter says Jensen Huang is not a target of any U.S. law enforcement investigation, and there is no family relationship between Jensen and Alice Huang.
China has rejected the espionage allegations as a "smear." The situation could complicate diplomatic relations ahead of a planned meeting between President Donald Trump and President Xi Jinping.
In the March indictment, U.S. prosecutors named Bangkok-based OBON Corp. as the Southeast Asian company involved in the alleged server diversion to China. OBON has not replied to requests for comment. Prosecutors also mentioned two unidentified third-party brokers in the diversion scheme. No verified numbers have been published about the quantity or model of Nvidia-powered servers allegedly shipped, their destination, the value of any transaction, or the identity of the Southeast Asian intermediary in official federal records.
Super Micro's Chief Executive Officer Charles Liang wrote in a public letter to stakeholders in March, "We have taken action against all identified employees and those parties no longer have any relationship with Supermicro. Mr. Wally Liaw has also resigned from the company's board of directors." After an independent investigation, Super Micro reported in August that its current senior management had no knowledge of the alleged scheme.
For further details, see the original reporting.
