Taiwan detains three over TSMC 'trade secret leaks'
The TSMC logo is displayed on a building in Hsinchu, Taiwan, Apr 15, 2025. (File photo: REUTERS/Ann Wang)
TAIPEI: Taiwanese prosecutors said Tuesday (Aug 5) they had detained three people after chipmaking giant TSMC reported suspected "trade secret leaks" relating to a key technology.
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company alleges a former employee and two current staff may have "unlawfully obtained" trade secrets, the High Prosecutors Office's Intellectual Property Branch said.
The information relates to the firm's "national core technology", they said.
TSMC made the discovery in July after detecting "unusual access to internal personnel files", the prosecutors said.
After speaking to witnesses and collecting evidence, prosecutors said the three defendants were "strongly suspected" of violating the National Security Act.
TSMC is the world's largest contract maker of chips and counts Nvidia and Apple among its clients.
TSMC recently secured a 300,000 H20 chipset contract from Nvidia.
In a statement, it said it had taken "strict disciplinary actions against the personnel involved" in the "potential trade secret leaks".
"As the case is now under judicial review, we are unable to provide further details at this time," TSMC said.
The company did not provide details about the technology involved in the suspected leaks.
TSMC's 2-nanometer chip technology is the most advanced technology in the semiconductor industry in terms of both density and energy efficiency, according to the company's website.
