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US judge rules Huawei to face criminal charges over tech theft, Iran ties
In a 52-page decision, US District Judge Ann Donnelly in Brooklyn found sufficient allegations in the 16-count indictment that Huawei engaged in racketeering to expand its brand, stole trade secrets from six companies, and committed bank fraud.
The Iran accusations stemmed from Huawei's alleged control of Skycom, a Hong Kong company that did business in that country.
Donnelly said prosecutors satisfactorily alleged Skycom "operated as Huawei's Iranian subsidiary and ultimately stood to benefit, in a roundabout way," from more than $100 million of money transfers through the US financial system.
Huawei has pleaded not guilty and had sought to dismiss 13 of the 16 counts, calling itself "a prosecutorial target in search of a crime."
A trial is scheduled for May 4, 2026, and could last several months.
Neither Huawei nor its lawyers immediately responded to requests for comment. A spokesperson for Interim US Attorney Joseph Nocella in Brooklyn declined to comment.
The criminal case began during US President Donald Trump's first term in 2018, the same year the Department of Justice launched its China Initiative to address Beijing's alleged theft of intellectual property.
Huawei Chief Financial Officer Meng Wanzhou, whose father founded the company, had been a defendant, and was detained in Canada for nearly three years before being allowed to return to China. Charges against her were dismissed in 2022.
In 2022, President Joe Biden's administration scrapped the China Initiative, after critics said it amounted to racial profiling and caused fear that chilled scientific research.
Based in Shenzhen, Huawei operates in more than 170 countries and has about 208,000 employees.
The US government has restricted Huawei's access to American technology since 2019, citing national security concerns. Huawei denies it is a threat.
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Hindustan Times
26 minutes ago
- Hindustan Times
Rajnath appreciates US for backing India's fight against terror
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The Hindu
27 minutes ago
- The Hindu
Talks on India-U.S. trade pact enter 6th day; India pushes for duty cuts for labour-intensive sectors
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Yet, they face some of the steepest U.S. tariffs — often ranging between 8 and 20%, especially for garments and footwear. He added that India's demand is clear that the U.S. must remove all tariffs — both MFN and country-specific — on high and medium labour-intensive goods. He added that these sectors employ millions, particularly in rural and semi-urban regions, and are crucial to India's goals of job creation, MSME growth, and women's economic participation. "Without meaningful tariff relief for these products, Indian negotiators warn, the FTA will be viewed as lopsided and politically untenable," Mr. Srivastava said.
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Business Standard
44 minutes ago
- Business Standard
US, Indo-Pacific partners agree to strengthen maritime cooperation
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