Taipei: Prosecutors have launched an investigation into allegations that a former executive of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC) stole the chipmaker's secrets related to its advanced processes and transferred them to a foreign entity. The Taiwan High Prosecutors Office stated that its Intellectual Property Branch has initiated the probe into the actions of Lo Wei-jen, who allegedly stole restricted information on TSMC's 2 nanometer, A16, and A14 processes before retiring as TSMC's senior vice president for corporate strategy development in July.
According to Focus Taiwan, fears have arisen that Lo then transferred the trade secrets to Intel, his former employer, when he returned to work at the American chipmaking rival in late October, a few months after leaving TSMC. Local media reports suggest that Lo asked his subordinates before retiring to brief him about these advanced technologies and took the confidential documents with him.
What sparked suspicions of wrongdoing, according to the Liberty Times, is the volume of information Lo took with him when he left TSMC and then unexpectedly appeared at Intel. The newspaper reports that Lo took more than 80 boxes of data and books with him, raising internal suspicions at TSMC.
Lo departed TSMC after 21 years of service and had been recognized as one of the most influential figures in the company's high-end technology development, according to reports. Before joining TSMC in 2004, Lo worked at Intel as director of advanced technology development and general manager of the U.S. chipmaker's fab in Santa Clara, California, overseeing the graphics processing unit's manufacturing operations.
According to the news reports, TSMC is gathering evidence in preparation for legal action against Lo. Prosecutors mentioned the investigation's objective is to determine whether Lo has been involved in any wrongdoing.
Commenting on the situation, Economics Minister Kung Ming-hsin stated that the ministry is seeking a better understanding of the situation. Kung mentioned that the MOEA will collaborate closely with the Taiwan High Prosecutors Office to determine whether Lo has violated the National Security Act, as semiconductors have become a core technology in Taiwan's industrial development. The MOEA is also monitoring whether Lo's actions have impacted Taiwan's semiconductor supply chain and its client relationships.
The most advanced process currently being mass-produced by TSMC is the 3nm process. Mass production of the 2nm process is scheduled to commence later this year, followed by the A16 process in the first half of 2026, and the A14 process in 2028.