Overview

• Singapore police charged two Singaporeans and a Chinese national with fraud linked to alleged illegal re-export of Nvidia GPUs to Chinese AI firm DeepSeek.
• The accused allegedly misrepresented the end-users of server equipment to suppliers, violating U.S. export restrictions on advanced semiconductors.
• Authorities conducted raids across 22 locations, arresting nine individuals and seizing documents and electronic records as part of an ongoing investigation into 22 suspects and companies.
• The case highlights Singapore's role as a trans-shipment hub and raises concerns over its use to circumvent international export controls targeting China.
• U.S. officials are investigating whether DeepSeek used restricted Nvidia chips to develop AI models, despite export bans aimed at limiting China's access to advanced AI technology.