Taiwan Indicts Three Former and Current TSMC Employees for Theft of 2nm Secrets to Aid Tokyo Electron, Prison Sentences Sought

Taiwanese prosecutors have indicted three individuals, including former and current employees of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC), for allegedly stealing trade secrets related to TSMC's advanced 2-nanometer chip technology. The stolen information was reportedly intended to benefit Tokyo Electron, a major Japanese semiconductor equipment supplier. The Taiwan High Prosecutors Office Intellectual Property Branch is seeking prison sentences of 14, 9, and 7 years for the accused. Tokyo Electron has acknowledged that a former employee of its Taiwanese subsidiary was involved in the case but stated that there is no evidence of organizational involvement. This case marks the first indictment related to the theft of TSMC's cutting-edge chipmaking technology and highlights the competitive nature of the semiconductor industry.