One of the co-founders of American server giant Super Micro has been arrested and charged with smuggling AI chips to China in violation of U.S. export laws. The deals, said to be worth upwards of $2.5 billion, saw Super Micro co-founder Yih-Shyan 'Wally' Liaw, work with several other managers and contractors who have also been charged. While a second man has been arrested, a third remains a fugitive at the time of writing.
The trio reportedly sent hardware to an unnamed Southeast Asian company before they were shipped on to their true destination, in China. Despite its size, this represents just one of many smuggling initiatives that have been discovered over the past few years. What's behind the increase in smugglers -- and what are authorities doing about it?




















