Taiwan court hands down jail terms in TSMC trade secrets case

Taiwan court sentences ex-Tokyo Electron employee to 10 years, four others to prison for stealing TSMC trade secrets. | Contesto: cronaca

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• Taiwan court hands down jail terms in TSMC trade secrets case

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A Taiwanese court has handed down prison sentences of up to 10 years to five individuals convicted of stealing trade secrets from Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC), the world’s largest contract chipmaker. The Hsinchu District Court on Wednesday sentenced a former employee of Tokyo Electron, a major Japanese supplier of semiconductor production equipment, to a decade behind bars for his role in the scheme. Four other defendants received terms ranging from 10 months to six years, according to court documents reviewed by Al Jazeera. The case centers on the illegal acquisition and transfer of proprietary TSMC technology related to advanced chip manufacturing processes. Prosecutors said the defendants, who included current and former engineers, conspired to smuggle sensitive data out of TSMC’s facilities and share it with competitors in China. The stolen information involved techniques for producing smaller, more powerful microchips that are critical to industries ranging from smartphones to military hardware. TSMC, headquartered in Hsinchu, Taiwan, has long been a prime target for industrial espionage due to its dominance in the global semiconductor market. The company produces chips for major clients including Apple, Nvidia, and AMD, and its advanced 3-nanometer and 5-nanometer processes are considered state-of-the-art. The theft of such trade secrets could have undermined TSMC’s competitive edge and national security interests, as Taiwan’s chip industry is a key pillar of its economy and geopolitical leverage. The sentencing comes amid heightened tensions between Taiwan and China, with Beijing repeatedly claiming sovereignty over the self-governing island. Chinese firms have been accused of systematically attempting to acquire advanced semiconductor technology to close the gap with global leaders. In recent years, Taiwan has strengthened its trade secrets laws and increased penalties for violations, reflecting the strategic importance of protecting its high-tech industries. Legal experts say the verdict sends a strong deterrent message to potential offenders, both domestic and foreign. “This case underscores Taiwan’s commitment to safeguarding its...

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Categoria: cronaca