On April 27, 2026, Taiwan’s Intellectual Property and Commercial Court issued a significant ruling in a trade secrets theft case involving TSMC (Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co.).
Key Sentences
- Chen Li-ming (former TSMC engineer): Sentenced to 10 years in prison for orchestrating the theft.
- Chen Wei-chieh (former TSMC employee): Sentenced to 6 years in prison.
- Wu Ping-chun (former TSMC engineer): Sentenced to 3 years in prison.
- Ko Yi-ping (former TSMC engineer): Sentenced to 2 years in prison.
- Lu Yi-yin (Tokyo Electron Taiwan employee): Received a 10-month suspended sentence and a NT$1 million fine.
- Tokyo Electron Taiwan: Fined NT5 million).
Case Details
- Stolen Technology: The stolen secrets pertained to TSMC’s advanced 2-nanometer (2nm) and 14-angstrom process technologies, which are crucial for TSMC’s leadership in semiconductor manufacturing.
- Legal Basis: This was the first case prosecuted under Taiwan’s National Security Act provisions aimed at protecting “national core key technologies,” underscoring the severity of the offense and its potential impact on Taiwan’s economic security.
- Method of Theft: Between 2023 and 2025, Chen Li-ming solicited confidential technical information, including photographs and data reproductions, from former colleagues at TSMC.
The ruling is viewed as a strong deterrent against corporate espionage and a measure to protect Taiwan’s critical semiconductor industry.