Overview

• The lead suspect, a former TSMC engineer surnamed Chen, allegedly sought 2nm process details after moving to Tokyo Electron; the supplier says it dismissed the employee and is cooperating with investigators.
• Two other individuals tied to TSMC were also indicted over accessing process information, while another associate named in reports was not charged at this time.
• Charges include theft of trade secrets and violations of the National Security Act, with prosecutors requesting up to 14 years for Chen and up to nine and seven years for the others.
• Officials describe the case as among the first brought under Taiwan’s strengthened national‑security provisions protecting core technologies.
• TSMC says routine monitoring flagged unusual access, it dismissed implicated staff and initiated legal action, and it maintains any obtained data was compartmentalized and not directly usable.