TLDR
- Taiwan prosecutors indicted nine people, including employees of Nvidia and Super Micro Computer, for illegally exporting AI servers to China
- An Nvidia manager named Chang allegedly organized the shipment of 74 servers loaded with high-end B300 chips through Japan and Indonesia
- Another 56 servers were stopped by Taiwan customs before they could be exported
- The alleged scheme used false end-user documents to make it appear the servers would stay in Taiwan
- Prosecutors are seeking five years for Chang, described as the “core figure” in the operation
Taiwan prosecutors have indicted nine people over the illegal export of advanced AI servers to China, including employees from Nvidia and Super Micro Computer. The case is Taiwan’s first known crackdown on black-market trading of high-end AI accelerators.
TODAY: 🇹🇼Taiwan has indicted nine people, including Nvidia and Super Micro employees, over the alleged illegal export of restricted AI servers to China.
The servers were reportedly equipped with Nvidia chips subject to U.S. export controls, per Reuters. pic.twitter.com/T6LI0Jv84r
— Coin Bureau (@coinbureau) August 24, 2026
The alleged scheme centered on 130 B300 servers ordered from Super Micro. False documents were created to make it look like the servers would be installed and used at a rented facility in Taiwan.
How the Smuggling Worked
Of those 130 servers, 74 were shipped to Chinese customers through multiple routes, including direct shipments and transhipments through Indonesia, Japan, and Hong Kong. The remaining 56 were caught by Taiwan customs after officials detected irregularities.
An Nvidia Taiwan employee surnamed Chang is named as the central figure. Prosecutors say he organized the shipments and is facing charges of forgery and breach of trust. They are seeking a five-year sentence.
Two employees from Super Micro’s Taiwan unit were also charged. Super Micro manufactured the hardware used in the servers.
Why This Matters for US Export Rules
The United States has restricted exports of American AI chips to China since 2022. Companies need a license to legally export these semiconductors there, and no such license was obtained in this case.
US officials have said billions of dollars worth of Nvidia hardware has reached China through black-market channels over recent years.
Prosecutors said the defendants were fully aware of the strict internal compliance procedures at both Nvidia and Super Micro. Despite this, they allegedly worked together across multiple levels to profit from the illegal sales.
The Keelung District Prosecutors Office said the group “colluded vertically and horizontally for exorbitant profits, illegally exporting high-end servers, increasing corporate compliance costs, and severely damaging Taiwan’s international image.”
Taiwan has not accused Nvidia or Super Micro as companies of any wrongdoing. The charges are directed at individual employees.
Neither company responded to requests for comment following the announcement.
Taiwan has been tightening its export controls in recent years to prevent advanced technology from reaching China. The island sits at the center of global chip production and is under pressure to enforce US-aligned trade rules.
A ninth defendant faces a separate but related charge involving the alleged siphoning of funds from a distributor company connected to the scheme.
Nvidia’s stock fell over 2% and Super Micro dropped nearly 7% following the news.
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