Taiwanese authorities escalated a high-stakes corporate feud on Thursday, sending investigators to raid the homes of Wei-Jen Lo, a former senior vice president at TSMC who recently joined rival chipmaker Intel. The prosecutors seized computers, USB drives, and other potential evidence after TSMC accused its former leader of stealing trade secrets.
The prosecutors’ office confirmed that they are investigating Lo for potentially violating Taiwan’s National Security Act, a law designed to protect the island’s critical technologies. On Wednesday, agents executed search warrants at two of Lo’s properties. Beyond seizing hardware, the court also approved a request to freeze Lo’s real estate assets and stock holdings, signaling the seriousness with which the authorities are treating the case.
TSMC initiated this legal battle earlier in the week by filing a lawsuit with Taiwan’s Intellectual Property and Commercial Court. The world’s largest chipmaker claims there is a “high probability” that Lo is leaking confidential data to Intel. Lo spent 21 years at TSMC and played a pivotal role in developing the company’s most advanced manufacturing processes, including the massive production of 5-nanometer, 3-nanometer, and 2-nanometer chips. These specific technologies currently give TSMC a significant edge over competitors.
Intel acted quickly to defend its new hire. The U.S. company denied the accusations on Thursday, stating that it has “no reason to believe there is any merit” to the claims. Intel insisted that it has strict protocols preventing employees from using stolen intellectual property. They described Lo as a man of high integrity and technical expertise, framing his move as a standard career change. “Talent movement across companies is a common and healthy part of our industry,” the company stated.
The conflict highlights the intense race for dominance in the semiconductor market. Lo actually worked at Intel for 18 years before joining TSMC in 2004. After retiring from the Taiwanese giant, he returned to Intel this past October. TSMC now fears that its return to the American firm will transfer decades of proprietary knowledge to its direct competitor, threatening its position as the primary supplier for tech giants like Nvidia and Apple.
