Taiwan prosecutors said on Thursday that investigators had raided the home of a former TSMC executive, and seized computers after the company alleged he was leaking trade secrets. TSMC, the world’s largest contract chipmaker, and supplier to companies including Nvidia, said it filed a lawsuit against Wei-Jen Lo, its former senior vice president in Taiwan’s Intellectual Property and Commercial Court.
The 75-year-old Lo retired from TSMC in July after serving more than 20 years with the company. He was most recently the senior vice president of corporate strategy development for TSMC. He played a major role in developing some of TSMC’s advanced node technology. Intel hired Lo as vice president of research and development. Intel has denied these allegations, with its CEO Lip Bu-Tan calling it “rumors and speculation.”
READ: TSMC probes whether top executive took trade secrets to Intel (November 24, 2025)
In a statement, the Taiwan prosecutors’ intellectual property branch said Lo is suspected of violating Taiwan’s National Security Act. Investigators acting on a search warrant searched two of Lo’s homes on Wednesday, in a statement, the Taiwan prosecutors’ intellectual property branch said Lo is suspected of violating Taiwan’s National Security Act. A court also approved a petition to seize his shares and real estate, the statement added.
Before he joined TSMC, Lo worked for Intel, focusing on advanced technology development, including running a chip factory in Santa Clara, California. Intel said the company maintains rigorous policies and controls that strictly prohibit the use or transfer of any third-party confidential information or intellectual property.
“We take these commitments seriously,” Intel said. The U.S. chipmaker had r said it has welcomed back Mr Lo and that he is widely respected across the semiconductor industry for his integrity, leadership and technical expertise. The U.S. chipmaker said it has welcomed back Lo and that he is widely respected across the semiconductor industry for his integrity, leadership and technical expertise. “Talent movement across companies is a common and healthy part of our industry, and this situation is no different,” the company added.
TSMC had said in a statement that “there is a high probability that Lo uses, leaks, discloses or transfers TSMC’s trade secrets and confidential information to Intel, thus making legal actions necessary”.
There have been tensions between Intel and TSMC and the U.S. chipmaker tried to catch up in the technology race. Intel is both a customer and competitor to TSMC, which is now the sole maker of the most high-end chips for Apple Inc. and Nvidia Corp.