Taiwan Prosecutors Pursue Expanded Charges in TSMC Trade Secrets Case

Taiwanese prosecutors have filed additional charges against the Taiwanese unit of Tokyo Electron and three defendants over alleged theft of trade secrets from chipmaker TSMC. Prosecutors are seeking prison terms and fines for the defendants, while accusations include violations of the National Security Act and Trade Secrets Act.

Taiwanese prosecutors have escalated legal actions against the Taiwanese division of Japan's Tokyo Electron and three individuals tied to the alleged theft of trade secrets from semiconductor giant TSMC.

The allegations name two former TSMC employees, both surnamed Chen, and a former Tokyo Electron Taiwan employee, surnamed Lu. Prosecutors seek severe penalties, proposing seven years of imprisonment for the first Chen, eight years and eight months for the second Chen, and one year for Lu.

Furthermore, they demand an additional T$25 million fine for Tokyo Electron's Taiwan arm. Previous charges include breaching Taiwan's National Security Act and Trade Secrets Act, with further accusations surfacing through ongoing investigations.